


A Twisted Loop Is Time

by Steel_Flames



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-27
Updated: 2016-05-16
Packaged: 2018-03-26 00:06:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 23,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3829864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Steel_Flames/pseuds/Steel_Flames
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry accidentally sends himself back in time after finding out everyone he loves has betrayed  him. He's a Lord twice over, manipulative as fuck, has a kickass snake named Kali and befriends a basilisk. He also falls in love with Severus Snape. Just as cliche  as it sounds, but it's better than I make it sound in this awful summary I'm writing in the middle of the night on my tablet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I don’t own Harry Potter. So, I love time travel stories and this plot bunny wouldn’t leave me alone. Thanks for reading, enjoy! I usually post to Fanfiction first, story titles and author name are the same: Steel Flames

Ok, so in hindsight maybe turning the timeturner while he was already back in time was a bad idea. Harry didn’t know why turned it in the first place, really. Perhaps it was because he’d wanted to get away from it all for a while or because he’d thought all of them had been destroyed in the battle at the ministry in his fifth year. But there on Dumbledore’s desk was a time turner. Or at least he thought it was a time turner. Turning it didn’t appear to have changed anything. So, he turned it again. Then, he realized he wasn’t in Dumbledore's office. No, there was a distinct lack of magical artifacts.

It was the headmaster that gave things away; Harry Potter was definitely in the past. The man sitting behind the headmaster desk, Dippet, if he recalled was staring at him with something akin to carefully hidden shock. 

“Hello, Headmaster Dippet,” Harry said calmly, the time turner esque artifact hidden in his loose fist.

“Young man,” The headmaster said, his wand clenched tightly. “Would you mind telling me how you came to be here?”

“Well, Sir, I don’t believe I’m in my own time. I’m quite certain I’m not, actually,” Harry said “, But I assure you, I’m no threat. I’m a student here or I will be. I suppose its safe enough to tell you I’m from the future since I already greeted you by name.”

“Do you know how you got here or how you’ll get back?”

“No, headmaster, I was hoping you’d allow me to attend Hogwarts while I figure out how to return to my own time,” Harry only half asked. “I have yet to complete my seventh year.”

“Of course, no young man should be deprived of an education simply because he’s misplaced in time,” Dippet said with a chuckle. Harry thought that was incredibly stupid logic, but he wouldn’t have to fight the man on staying at Hogwarts, so he laughed right along with him. “Now, down to business. What’s your name and what house are you in?”

“In this time I shall be called Harrison Grey and I’m not in my time, but in this one I believe it is crucial I am in a different house, so I shall be Slytherin.” 

It would be a nice change, anyways. He regretted asking the hat for Gryffindor as Neville was his only friend there. He’d never trusted Dumbledore as much as he pretended he did. Especially not after he’d been the first adult Harry told about the Dursley’s abuse and sent him back there summer after summer. 

The Weasleys too he doubted were fully on his side. Perhaps not the twins, Bill or Charlie as they hadn’t been all that close to him. But what was Molly doing roaring about muggles in a subway crowded full of them? And how fickle was Ron in their friendship, a friendship that seemed somehow stronger at the end of every other month. 

A visit to his head Goblin upon his seventeenth birthday and coming of age had him seeing red. Apparently, a large sum of money was being wired to vaults for Dumbledore, Molly, Ron, and to his surprise, Ginny. Harry quickly put an end to this and had all the money recalled after proof surfaced that he truly hadn’t given his approval for it to be taken from his vaults. 

As for Hermione, brilliant, sweet, loyal, fierce, naive, Hermione. She trusted Dumbledore so completely couldn’t see what he’d done to Harry, to all of them, until it was far too late. She couldn’t tolerate anything even remotely Slytherin, she hated when Harry spoke parseltongue, or wasn’t the perfect Gryffindor boy-who-lived everyone expected. Her view of everything as so simply black and white was the pitfall of their friendship. 

They remained acquaintances and were civil when they ran into each other in the halls. Without Ron, though, and with her refusal to accept Harry as who he was he lost his two best and only friends. Upon returning to Hogwarts for his seventh year Harry had been called to The Headmaster’s office. Presumably to talk about the lack of Harry’s money in Dumbledore’s vaults, but he wouldn’t find out for a while now he presumed.

“Brilliant! Well, the students have just finished the welcoming feast,” Dippet said “, I’ll call your head of house, Potions Professor, Horace Slughorn, to bring you to the common room. There you can get settled in and meet your fellow seventh years. Tomorrow, he can take you to Diagon Alley any you can purchase anything you need. Provided you have the funds?”

“I should have enough for everything I need,” Harry said. He left out the fact that everything he owned, shrunken trunk included, could be fit in the rucksack, with enchantment charms, on his back. His vaults were tied to a card much like a muggle debit card. After Sirius’ death he’d also inherited the Black vaults and with his coming of age he was now Lord Potter-Black. He wasn’t sure if his card would work in the past, but he would see tomorrow he supposed  
.  
The Slytherin dorms were exactly how Harry remembered; beautiful tapestries, large leather armchairs and couches, elegant area rugs, and all done up in emerald and silver. An eerie glow from the lake covered the common room and lit their path as Slughorn and he walked to the dorms.

“The seventh year boys are two to a dorm and I’m afraid there is only one room available. Avery and Mulciber have the first room, Nott and Parkinson have the second, and you’ll be rooming with Snape in the third,” Said Slughorn, knocking on the door of the dorm he would now, apparently be sharing with Snape. Bloody hell, he really should have asked for the year when choosing his house. It wasn’t that he had a problem with the man, he hadn’t truly hated him since first or second year. He had a feeling, Snape too, did many things merely for pretense, so the children of Death Eaters wouldn’t realize his true allegiance. It would just make things bloody awkward when or if he returned to his own time.

“Alright, see you in the morning, Professor,” Harry said. Before Slughorn could do anything more than nod, Harry slipped into his new dorm.

Harry’s first thought: Severus Snape was so young. He was tall, nearly as tall as he was in Harry’s time, but he hadn’t yet grown into his height. He was all skin and bones. A greasy curtain of hair lay limp over his face. He startled when Harry cleared his throat. “Hello.”

His eyes. There was something that was so different about them, though they were the same onyx ones he was familiar with. They were so innocent. Well, maybe not innocent but, only half as guarded as they were in the future. In the future, Harry knew, they looked as though the weight of the world rested on his shoulders. Harry knew that look, it was the same one he saw every time he looked in the mirror. 

“Hello,” he said, his voice so lacking in the bitterness Harry was used to. “I’m Severus Snape.”

“Harrison Grey, but you can call me Harry, everyone does,” he said, setting his rucksack on the unused bed. After so many years of being started at he could tell Severus had questions, everyone always did. “Ask away.”

“What?” Even without turning around he could tell Severus had jumped.

“I know you have questions, feel free to ask,” he said, plopping down on his bed. He sat crosslegged, facing Severus.

“Where are all your things?” he asked eyeing the emerald eyed wizard’s single bag.

“This is it.” Harry patted the bag beside him.

“Oh.” Severus’ cheeks tinged pink and Harry contained his laughter. The Snape he knew would never even consider that the Gryffindor Golden Boy’s possessions could fit in a rucksack, even an expanded one. 

“It’s alright, I’m used to it.”

“Well, why are starting Hogwarts so late?” Severus asked suspicion creeping into his voice. 

“I’m a time traveler,” Harry said with a grin.

Severus rolled his eyes “, of course you are.” 

Harry chuckled “, I’m serious. I’ve gone to Hogwarts since first year, I just happened to travel through time and ended up here. Headmaster Dippet doesn’t believe in depriving young wizards of their education, so I’m finishing my seventh year here.”

“Bloody hell, you’re serious, aren’t you?” 

“Yup.”

“So, is that all you had on you when you traveled through time or is that-”

“Really all I have,” Harry interrupted “, I bring it all with me to Hogwarts and hadn’t got a chance to settle in yet.”

“Oh.” The other wizard looked even more embarrassed if that was possible. 

“It’s alright, really,” Harry said, most people were shocked out of their wits when they found about, he was used to it by now. After that they stuck to small talk before they grew tired and went to bed.  
x.X.x.X 

“Oi! Snivellus!” James Potter roared. They were walking to their herbology class a few days after school had started. The marauders were walking right behind Severus talking like he wasn’t there.

“Is it possible his hair got more greasy?” Sirius Black stage whispered, but it carried across the grounds. Severus blushed, dipping his head lower. Harry was about twenty feet back. He’d seen Snape’s memory in the pensieve, but he hadn’t truly realized the severity of the situation. 

It wasn’t like Draco and he who by now had but a light, familiar banter. The war had toned down their childish rivalry. They were so much more mature because of the war. The others here, they were still children and his father was nothing but a bully. So was Sirius. And Remus. 

It hurt in a way he didn’t expect. Mostly though, it was the total lack of reaction from Severus that upset him. It reminded him of the way he’d reacted to the children in primary school. It remind him of the invisible, abused little boy he used to be. He couldn’t put this passive, self conscious Severus to the biting, confidant Snape he knew and knowing his father was responsible for this change, even partially, it made all the times he’d defended his father hurt. 

And it was these musings that were eating at him all the time now. The image people had painted of his father was so different than the real thing. Remus, one of the most gentle men Harry knew, even if he was a werewolf was allowing his supposed best friends to act this way. And Severus Snape wasn’t who Harry thought he was. Not at all, and that totally and utterly fascinated him.


	2. Chapter 2

The morning after Harry arrived in 1978 he woke early so Slughorn could take him to Diagon before class started. Severus, whom Harry was surprised to see up at this hour, gave him a strange look when he settled his rucksack on his back. Slughorn was only slightly subdued by morning and the emerald eyed wizard resisted the urge to react the way he wished to the continuous prattling.

The Gringotts goblins gave him a vicious sneer as soon as he entered the bank. He was beckoned to, a surprisingly younger looking, Griphook’s office. Slughorn had a bit of his own shopping to do and agreed to meet Harry outside the bank.

“What are you doing here, Mister Potter?” Griphook asked with a sneer, glaring through his beady eyes.

“Just getting some money to do a bit of school shopping,” Harry answered carefully, a hint of a smile peeking out from his features schooled to convey his ‘golden boy’ fasade.

“What are you doing in this time?” Griphook asked through bared teeth. He looked as if he wanted to facepalm, but that was probably too plebian for a goblin.

“Well, about that, I don’t exactly know,” Harry said with a sheepish smile. “I was wondering how that would work exactly. Would I still be able to access my vaults?”

“The vaults you own in the future are most likely still in possession of their original owners, but I suppose we could do an inheritance test for any vaults or titles not currently in use.”

“Alright,” Harry said “, I’d also like to invest some of the gold I carried with me.” The goblin called forth a few others. Luckily for Harry, there were a few vaults that had been married into the family between now and Harry’s time or had remained untouched.

They made sure everything in these vaults ended up with Harry in the end, so they didn’t dramatically alter time. Everything Harry had now was put under the name Harrison Grey and his investments were sound since he knew which businesses profited in the future. They switched the cash flow into his card to the new vaults. He was not as wealthy as he once was, but he had more than enough to last through his last year at Hogwarts.

He still had nearly thirty minutes before he was expected to meet Slughorn, so he slipped in Knockturn Alley. He had to find out how he got here and if it was even safe to go back at this point. The shadows all had eyes and even as Harry relaxed at the feel of magic, the alley was saturated in it, he kept up his guard.

The bookstore was shady at best, but Harry had a feeling it would be just what he needed. The man that sat behind the cluttered counter had shoulder length hair the color of the sun, bright even in the minimal lighting of the shop. He hardly looked old enough to have graduated from Hogwarts, but the way he held himself made Harry think he was perhaps older than he appeared. His eyes were downcast, trained on the tome propped against another stack of them. They flickered up to asses Harry when he stepped up to the counter and the time traveling wizard contained a gasp. The mans eyes were red as blood.

His beautiful face was shadowed with confusion and his lips twisted into something akin to a smile “Hello, may I help you?” his voice was an ethereal purr and Harry immediately took a liking to him, even if he sensed that the man wasn’t to be trusted.

“I hope so,” Harry said smiling coyly. “I’m looking for something on time travel magic.”

The beautiful man frowned, his eyes apprehensive. “That kind of magic is quite dangerous. It can be detrimental to time and space if used incorrectly.”

Harry sighed “, I know. It’s undoing the magic that I need the books for.” The man’s eyebrows nearly shot into his hairline. 

“Is it?” he left the rest of the question off at Harry’s sheepish nod. “I may have a few books that would help.” He drifted to an obscure corner of the room and ran his hand along some wicked strong cloaking wards. He slipped a few from the shelf, replaced the wards and set them back on the counter. “They’re very expensive,” he warned an excited Harry. 

“I have the money,” the dark haired wizard assured him and handed the man his Gringotts card.   
“Be careful,” the man said in parting. “Much can be effected by a singular event.”

Harry was haggling with a less than honest man over the price of rare potions ingredients when he heard it. A young, panicked voice squeling and then muttering about cruel wizards. As the shop owner readied Harry’s potion ingredients and supplies he located where the voice was coming from.   
Three shifty looking boys, late teens, early twenties were gathered around something talking lowly and letting out jeering laughs. Upon closer inspection Harry realized the voice was that of a snake. The little thing was coiled up and hissing, looking as if those boys would be in deep trouble if there wasn’t inches of glass between them. He was tempted to remove the glass, like he’d done with a snake at the zoo, but killing three men was probably not the best thing to do his second day back in time.

So Harry did the one thing that never failed to scare people away. He spoke “, Hello, beautiful.” The boys glanced back at him nervously, then fled, but he paid them no mind.

“A speaker!” the little snake, now that he was listening it was clearly female, hissed excitedly “, I didn’t know there were any left.”

Harry smiled softly at the little snake. “Do you have a name?” 

“I don’t speaker, but you could give me one,” she said hopefully “, Do you have a name?”

“My name is Harrison, but you can call me Harry” he said and after thinking for a moment “, I shall call you Kali.”

“Thank you, Harry,” Kali said, wriggling with happiness.

“I’ll be right back,” Harry hissed. He picked up his potion supplies and asked the shop owner “, How much for the snake?”

“That thing?” the man shuddered. “Take it if you dare, it’s killed every man who’s tried to remove it and the thing doesn’t seem to be affected by spells. It’d make bloody good armor if anyone could hold it still enough to skin.” 

The man gaped when Harry marched right up to thee tank and unlatched it. Kali slithered right out and looped around his neck. He nearly collapsed into a fit of giggles at the shop owners face. Kali certainly did.

“Thank you, Harry,” she said, once she composed herself. “May I bite you?”

“May I ask why you’d like to Kill me so soon after I’ve saved you?” Harry asked, he would never understand snakes.

Kali did the snake equivalent of an eye roll. “I wouldn’t bite you with venom. I just want to be your bonded.”

“My familiar?”

“Yes, that’s what wizards call it,” Kail said, rubbing her snout against the side of his neck.

The wizard sighed simultaneously loving and cursing his innate recklessness “, go for it.” Kali sank her fangs into his neck and he felt his magic reach out and find the core every living thing had. Their magic twined around one another, then retreated to their bodies with a rush. 

Kali pulled her fangs out and hissed “, Now we belong to each other, My Harry.” Under any other circumstances the emerald eyed wizard might find this statement creepy, but he could feel it was true. He just nodded and smiled.

If Kali herself hadn't been enough Slughorn's face and the blissful silence that fell after Harry told him she was his familiar made his little trip to Knockturn worth it. Upon returning to the castle Slughorn ussured him to Dippet’s office.

Harry translated a conversation between Kali and the headmaster. The perfect little snake she was, Kali had Dippet eating out of her metaphorical hand within the hour. She slithered onto Dippet’s desk so he could pet her. They even had Dippet convinced that snake’s licked for kisses like puppies. Well, they did, sort of, but when Kali licked the Headmaster’s hand it was to sent him and make sure he wasn’t a threat to her Harry. Slughorn blinked at Dippet incredulously when he bid Harry and Kali a good day and they headed off to class. He didn’t reveal his parseltongue ability since he could talk to Kali through their bond, but he wouldn’t deny it if anyone were to ask.

At first the other students attempted to talk to him; Kali fixed that fast. He was a seventh year, so the younger Slytherins left him be anyway and the older ones didn’t seem to mind him as long as he got good grades and didn’t make Slytherin look bad. Severus was a bit wary of Kali the first time they met, but since he saw her constantly he seemed to be the most adjusted to her. The other houses were afraid of snakes in general, but one more slimy snake didn’t draw as much attention as one might think. It left most of Hogwarts completely indifferent to him. 

Class was mostly the same. They actually had a competent DADA teacher, but Harry, who’d been training to fight Voldemort since he was eleven, breezed through the class. He and Hermione had been studying runes on their own before they drifted apart. For classes Harry chose Ancient Runes, Care Of Magical Creatures, Herbology, DADA, Potions, Charms, and Transfiguration.

The first truly exciting thing to happen was in Transfiguration. A much younger Mcgonagall announced about a week in that they would begin their seventh year projects. Their projects were to encompass what they learned over all in Transfiguration with both a practical and written part. They were due at semester. It was up to them what they chose, but it had to be cleared with her before they began.

Harry got a devilish smile and approached Mcgonagall’s desk. He whispered something to her and her eyebrows rose to her hairline. With a wave of her wand a silencing bubble materialized around them. She signed off on magical parchment and he slipped from the room with his ever present rucksack. He was was on his way to the library, the first to search the books for his transfiguration project. He would need it too. Harrison Grey was going to become an animagus.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t own Harry Potter. For some reason I always picture Transfiguration to look like a muggle English class? I really appreciate your kudos and reviews! Thank you, enjoy!  
> Pronunciations:  
> Kali) KAH-lee  
> Koani) Co-AH-nee

Peter Pettigrew made his first appearance almost a week into term. Apparently, there’d been some incident involving Pettigrew, two ravenclaw second years, a hufflepuff perfect and the newest Zonko’s product; he didn’t really care about the specifics. A tidal wave of rage overcame him, this rat was the reason he’d suffered all those years at the hands of the Dursley’s.

“Clam, my Harry,” Kali hissed from where she was coiled beneath his robes.

“He’s the reason I was sent to live with those muggles, Kali,” The wizard said, glowering at the pack of Gryffindors, buzzing and boisterous, as their fourth joined the charms class. The little snake tenced.

“Let me eat him and you wouldn’t have had to,” she hissed hopefully.

“In time, Kali,” Harry murmured softly. “Unfortunately, I need him alive, otherwise Merlin only knows how time will change.” 

“Alright class, settle, settle,” Flitwick chirped, glancing significantly at the Gryffindor side. “Good to have you back, Mister Pettigrew,” He added almost as an after thought. Harry always did like Flitwick, he was a good teacher and one of the only who didn’t blatantly favor his own house. 

The class was moving into more complicated element based charms this year. They started with water, because it was the most easily mouldable, while also being visible. An incantation allowed the caster to bend water to their will. The strength of the charm depended on the strength of the caster’s will and magic. Harry practiced the movements, careful not to put any intent behind it. Intent was the basis of wordless, wandless magic and the time traveler was quite good at both. A fact he wasn’t ready for anyone to know, yet. 

Lily Evans was the first to master the charm, water leaping out of her bowl into a pegasus. It pranced across the table, unfolded it’s watery wings and soared in lazy circles, before crashing back into the bowl. 

“Excellent, Miss Evans! Ten points to Gryffindor!” She blushed as the soft praises of her friends and Harry took the moment to study the woman that would become his mother. 

She had fine, delicate features, hair like fire and sparkling eyes the color of moss. Harry recognized her cheekbones and nose as his own. He wasn’t sure if his shorter stature was hers or due to the starvation at the Dursley’s hands. If he’d been attracted to women and she wasn’t his mother he might find her attractive. He could, objectively admit she was beautiful and from what he’d observed Lily was Gryffindor to the core. Aside from being intelligent she was sweet, but had a fierce temper when protecting her housemates. She didn’t seem to let her intelligence get to head either.

Unlike some Gryffindors. Harry shook his head at the hot mess that was the Gryffindor boy’s table. James, in an attempt to impress Lily had charmed the water into a half Lion that quickly slid out of control and crashed into four other bowls before splashing back into water. 

Harry rolled his eyes, some of the other’s openly snickered or just shook their heads. James Potter was red with embarrassment, even though the object of his affections didn’t seem to have noticed. Beside him, Severus snorted and they shared a look. The marauders glared at the sound. Sirius turned his wand on the puddle spread across the table and charmed the water vaguely bird shaped. It flapped jerkily and swirled unsteadily over head a few times, circling the classroom. 

Remus clapped his hand on Sirius’ shoulder “, Brilliant, Pads!” 

Sirius smiled devilishly “, Thanks, Remy.” The charmed bird faltered and the water crashed down, conveniently on the Slytherin side of the room, right over Snape. “Oops.” Guffaws ignited throughout the classroom. Lily, Harry noticed with a pang of sadness, only rolled her eyes, equal parts exasperated and fond. 

“Alright, class, back to work,” Flitwick squeaked. The men that would become his father and godfather were practically falling over themselves with laughter. “A drying cham, perhaps, would be of assistance to Mister Snape?” 

“Don’t worry, Professor, I know just the spell,” James said, turning his want on a soaking, shivering Snape. 

Harry didn’t know what it was that possessed him, maybe it was the cruelty etched onto the boy’s smiling face or the sickly orange of a spell that was most definitely not meant to dry. He stepped in front of Snape, hissing aguamenti and hitting it with the charm they were practicing. The jet of water twisted into a giant king cobra, hood flared and hissing. 

It coiled up in front of them, tensed, and when the spell was close enough, darted forward and swallowed it. The weak orange spell fizzled into nothing and the charm canceled, crashing down like a wave over Gryffindor. They stood wide-eyed as the water bent around them, leaving them standing in a puddle, but not actually hit by the water. 

Flitwick’s joyous clapping broke the stunned silence “, Excellent example of spellwork and charms working together, Mister Grey, twenty points to Slytherin!” Harry turned back to his bowl and charmed the water to look like a miniature Fawkes. He glanced at Snape out of the corner of his eye, who must’ve cast a drying cham on himself at some point. His water looked like a wiggling blob, but at least it was animated? Most of the class managed to charm their water by the time Flitwick dismissed class, but nothing else particularly point-worthy happened.  
x.X.x.X.

It occurred to Harry that he was sleeping in the same castle as a basilisk one day leaving the Great Hall. The chamber was just as slimy and dank as he remembered. “Kali, keep your eye’s closed, okay? I don’t know what’s going to happen down here.” Harry hissed. The younger snake flicked her wizard’s throat with her tongue, reproachingly. 

“I’m a snake, My Harry,” she snorted. “I don’t need my sight to function.” 

“Of course not, Kali,” he chuckled, keeping his eyes trained on the ground. “Basilisk?” he hissed.  
Nothing happened and he felt completely ridiculous, standing in an empty chamber, staring at the ground. He went to glance up, but Kali slithered up his neck and wrapped her tail over his eyes.  
“I can smell him,” she hissed nipping at his ear.

“Ow, Kal, that hurt.”

“Don’t do reckless things and I wont bite you”

“I didn’t do anything!” 

“You were going to”

“So what if I was,” the wizard grumbled petulantly “, the Basilisk’s not even here.” A great thump sounded at the tail end of his words.

“You called,” a deep voice hissed, voice practically a purr. The chamber trembled and Harry could feel the things breath on his face. His hand instinctively tightened on his wand.

“I came to warn you,” Harry said, his voice surprisingly strong and sure.

“Warn me?” he hissed and Harry could smell the blood on his breath.

“I know how you die,” the wizard said “, and I know how to save you.” 

There was unintelligible hissing as the Basilisk scented the air “, You’re not lying. Tell me what you think you know.”

“In the future, the heir of Slytherin goes dark and figures out how to control you, he makes you petrify people and eventually a boy comes into the chamber and find the dark wizard hurting one of his friends. He ends up killing you.” A pang of sadness hit harry as he realized Ginny wasn’t actually his friend.

“That much is true, why does this make you sad?” humans, even wizards had such strange emotions.

“The girl the boy saves isn’t actually the boy’s friend, she’s just being paid to pretend,” Harry whispered, suddenly struck by how alone he really is. Even if he made it back to his own time, there was nothing there for him, but the fate of killing Voldemort. Kali’s really the only one he cared about and he had her here. 

“You are the boy,” the snake said, calculating. 

“Yes,” Harry answered tersely, there was no point in lying to someone who can smell it. 

“Then, why do you wish to save me?” Kali’s coil’s tightened around his neck and he can feel her shaking.

“I only killed you to save her, but I know enough now that I can save you both.”

“I’m confused, you say that you will kill me, but that you killed me?” The Basilisk moves and he can hear it, the eery sliding of it’s scales against the stone. 

“I’ve moved through time.” 

It gave the hissing equivalent of humming. “How shall you try to save me from yourself then, little wizard?”

“Simple, we use a modified, permanent, gemini spell on a transfigurement, remove it’s ability to turn things to stone or reproduce and put it on a timer to activate just before the dark wizard enters Hogwarts.”

“That’s simple?”

Harry chuckles darkly “, Better than the alternative. I really don’t want you to die at an untrained second year’s hand.” 

“And what will become of me, little speaker,” the snake hissed, circling him “, shall I die at your hand today?”

“No,” Harry breathed, against “, Why would I want to kill you? I was going to, if you’re not too adverse, shrink you to a bit smaller size. You could come live with me and Kali. Granted you agree to use your second eyelids, so you don’t turn us to stone.”

“Kali?” he hissed in question.

“Hello, great one, ” Kali hissed hesitantly. 

“Beautiful,” The basilisk purred. “I would live with you?”

“And my wizard,” she said “, he protects us from the others.”

“I will allow you to do what you have proposed wizard and I swear not to kill without your say or turn you or your beautiful to stone.”

“Call me Harry,” the wizard said, lifting Kail back onto his shoulders.

“I am called Koanie.” And so it was done, one giant transfigured snake lay in the corner of the chamber and a much smaller Koanie slithered beside Harry as he left the chamber.  
x.X.x.X.

Severus stopped dead in his tracks upon entering their dorm room. Kali was curled up in the crook of his arm, head on his chest, like she normally was. Koanie, however, had claimed his stomach and chest and was draped over him like a big, weighted blanket. He was almost 6ft long and twice as big as Kali, he, of course had complained that he was too small. 

“Hello, Severus,” Harry said softly, pulling him out of his trance.

“Gre-Harry,” he said slowly, back now pressed to the door. “That’s a Basilisk.”

“Mmmn,” Harry didn’t feel the need to lie or manipulate Severus the way he did other people. He was one of the only people Harry actually liked or found genuinely interesting. He wanted to be friends, more if the boy would let him, and he’d been lied to enough by those that claimed tobe his friends to know not to do the same. He absentmindedly stroked Koanie’s plumage “, a very small one, his name is Koanie.” The snake perked up at the sound of his name.

“Who?” Koanie hissed

“Nestmate,” Harry replied softly.

Severus shivered at the Parseltongue “, he’s not going to eat me in my sleep, is he?” He slowly moved to his bed and sat down, hesitantly facing Harry and the snakes.

“He smells good,” Koanie hissed, excited. “I want him.”

“Koanie!” Harry practically growled “, You may not eat my Nestmate!”

The basilisk snorted “, You want him to be your mate.” Ignoring Harry’s sputtered potest he continued “, I didn’t say I would eat him, I want him to be my wizard. The way you are Kali’s wizard.”

“You want to bond with Severus?” he asked with a chuckle. Koanie dipped his head in a nod, it looked strange on a snake. “He doesn’t want to eat you, he wants to be your familiar.” 

“A basilisk wants to be my familiar?” he sounded equal parts terrified and excited. Koanie slipped onto the floor and slid towards Severus. Harry sat up, so the boys were only a few feet apart, Kali climbed to his shoulders.

“Tell him to deny me now if he does not want this,” Koanie hissed, coiled before Severus. 

“Koanie says to tell him now if you don’t want to bond,” Harry translated.

Severus looked pensive for a moment, then nodded resolutely “, I’ll do it. What do I need to do-?” Koanie launched himself at Severus and sunk his fangs into his exposed left wrist, a light flashed around where they were joined and the basilisk pulled out and licked the wound closed. Severus stared in wonder, he had just bonded with a basilisk.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t own Harry Potter. I have to say, I love writing a Top!Harry/ Bottom!Severus story and a Sub!Harry/ Dom!Severus story at the same time, of course my Harry will always be magically strong and generally kick ass, but I love the contrast. Thank you for the comments and Kudos!

The marauders were idiots. How they ever managed to become animagi was beyond him. It involved an incredible amount of focus, hours of meditation and absolute silence, something Harry knew for a fact they weren't able to get in Gryffindor. They probably used the Shrinking Shack. 

Harry was lucky, Severus didn’t seem to care or notice when Harry sat staring at nothing for hours on end. They had both warded their room tighter than Hogwarts itself; no one else, save their familiars, were keyed in. 

Harry knew their projects were kept a secret by law. McGonagall couldn’t report him to the ministry without losing her job and home, so he wasn’t worried about mandatory registration. It was, however, more difficult than he’d previously anticipated. The books all said that the actual process of transforming was nearly effortless once you found your inner animal.

Harry tried, but the vaguely animal shaped fog in his mind didn’t seem to solidify any defining way. He tried searching his core, following the pulsing magic. The only animal like magic he sensed was Kali. Harry sighed deeply, he just didn’t understand why wizards were limited to finding their one animal before they transformed. It was just a more complex transfiguration. Harry was brilliant at transfiguration; it shouldn’t be this bloody hard. 

“Hello Beautiful,” Koani hissed, breaking his trance. Oh, well, he wasn't getting anywhere anytime soon. “Hello, Speaker.”

“‘ello Koani,” Harry said, stretching like a cat and climbing off the bed “, where’s Severus?” 

“He is studying in the library," the basilisk hissed ", I needed to go hunting and I wondered if the beautiful one wanted to come."

"We'll be back soon, my Harry," Kali hissed, butting her snout against the side of his neck in a quick show of affection before she slid from his shoulders to follow the larger snake.

"Have fun, kids," the wizard chuckled, if they weren't already mates they would be soon.

He slung his rucksack over his shoulder and headed to the library. He still had a foot to add to his potions essay and if Severus was already studying he might be more willing to help.

The halls were mostly quiet and Harry could almost pretend that he was back in his own time, before he found out his friends betrayal. It hurt less here. In this time, it didn't feel real.

The people who had wronged him so badly, save Dumbledore, weren't even born yet. The Dursleys would still be children, innocent children, that had no idea the horrendous crimes they would commit. Harry took a fortifying breath. Thinking about the Dursleys always brought him back to that small, hopeless boy he'd been before he discovered magic. Hogwarts was the first place he'd felt anything but worthless. Even in the wrong time, Hogwarts felt like home.

"No so smug now, are we, Snivellus?" A voice asked with a dark chuckle ", That slimy snake isn't here to protect you now." Harry sighed dejectedly, recognizing the voice of the boy that would become his godfather.

He rounded the corner to find Severus cornered by the marauders. The Slytherin's back was pressed against the wall, hair tangled and windblown. His second hand school robes were disheveled and he seemed to be favoring his right side. Black stood before the Slytherin, his grinning face twisted with malice, wand jabbing the hollow of Severus' throat. 

James Potter was behind him, a cocky smile on his face as he held his wand in a lazy grip while twirling one Harry recognized as Severus'. Pettigrew and Lupin flanked him, the rat looked excited while Lupin just looked bored. They were all so intent on their target that they didn't notice Harry until he held out his hand and their wands few from their grasp. The Gryffindor boys stood, shell shocked.

"Oi! Severus," he said, tossing the Slytherin boy his wand, like nothing had happened. And to Harry, nothing had, he did wordless and wandless all the time. "I've still got a foot to add to my potions essay, mind helping me out?" Severus recognized the offer for what it was. Harry had just saved his arse and Slytherins didn't like to owe anyone anything. Plus, Harry was bull at potions.

"I suppose we could work something out," he said smoothly, stepping around the Gryffindor boys, still gaping at Harry.

"Brilliant," he said, turning to head back to the dorms. Normally Harry wouldn't put his back to the enemy, or leave his fellow Slytherin unprotected, but he had their wands and knew he could kick their arse if it came to a physical fight. Even so, he put a medium strength shield up behind Severus and himself, just in case the marauders knew any wandless. Most wizards, though, relied too heavily on their wands and didn't bother to learn any other way of defending themselves.

"Oi, Grey!" Potter roared ", you can't just take our wands."

Harry chuckled without bothering to turn around ", I just did." But as they rounded a corner he scattered the wands behind him and pulled Severus into an alcove, throwing a notice-me-not around them.  
Frantic squabbling for wands could be heard, accompanied by the scuff of trainers against stone. 

"Slimy Slytherins!”

"Where'd they go!?"

"Just like a Slytherin to run away from a fight!" Their angry cries echoed through the corridor and Harry's face twisted into a wry grin. Wankers. He longed to knock me down a peg or two, but wouldn't sink to their level. Severus' labored breath brought him back to reality. 

"Are you alright?" Harry asked softly, the other Slytherin was propped up against the wall, half folded over. His face was more pale than usual, which was saying something for Severus.

"I'll be fine," he snapped, jolting up awkwardly. He fled the alcove, a limp finding it's way into his usually smooth gait. Harry sighed, following after him.

"I had an apprenticeship with a healer when I was sent back in time," he stopped the wizard with a hand on his arm ", You wouldn't owe me anything, just let me help."

"Not here," Severus huffed, shaking off Harry's hand. 

"Hold on," the emerald eyed boy said reaching out for the other wizard and before he could protest side-alonged him to their room. 

"You're not supposed to be able to do that. No one can apparate within Hogwarts walls. 

Harry chuckled darkly ", I do a lot of things I'm not supposed to do." He released the Slytherin boy and scooped Kali up, lifting her onto his shoulders. "Good hunt, girl?"

"Yesss," Kali hissed, flicking the shell of his ear. "And you went in search of trouble again," she hissed, half reprimanding, half amused. Harry laughed darkly, settling her at the foot of his bed so she could sleep  
.  
"My wizard!" A serpentine voice hissed a Koani launched himself a Severus, the Basilisk coiled around the wizard, nearly knocking him over with the weight. His tongue flickered over a patch of exposed skin ", You're hurt!" A wave of shame and guilt flooded the wicked snake. "I wasn't there to protect you."

"It's alright, Koani, my injury is minimal," he reassured the Basilisk, stroking his crown ", and Harry is training to become a healer. All is well."

“Robe off, then,” Harry said, lifting the snake off the other boys shoulders “, on the bed.” Severus reluctantly slid out of his school robes and perched on the edge of the bed. Under his robes he had a pair of worn blue jeans slung low on his hips and an old t shirt that was just a bit too tight. Harry tried to keep his eyes from lingering on the line of pale skin peeking from below the other boys navel. “What’d they hit you with?” Harry asked, casting a general detection spell. Koani coiled up at the foot of Severus’ bed watched raptly. 

Severus shrugged ", No spell I've ever heard; it felt like fire.” Harry nodded, the spell was registering burns, they should be easy enough to repair. He flicked his wand back into its holster and pushed light healing and calming energy into his fingertips. He and Madam Pomfrey had found out real quick that his wand didn’t much like to heal.

“May I?” He asked softly. Severus nodded, lifting his arm with a poorly concealed wince. Harry trailed his fingers along protruding rib bones and a lean flank. The other wizard hissed in pain and Harry gasped. “This feels dark, Severus. I might need to see the burns...”

Severus clenched his jaw and set his gaze firmly on the dorm floor. He peeled off his shirt in one jerky motion before Harry could continue. This time Harry bit back his gasp. Although his skin looked like it had never seen the light of day, the other Slytherin looked much like he himself might have if he hadn't escaped the Dursleys when he did. Evidence of old injury, never properly healed, littered the wizard’s back and chest; the most disturbing perhaps were jagged scars that looked as though they were carved from broken glass. 

Bright, angry burns were splashed across Severus’ left side, creeping up his chest and sliding below his hip. Harry pushed more magic into his hands and laid them against charred skin. The healer's apprentice practically snarled when he found the magical fire still burning into his fellow Slytherins magical core. He slowly drew the curse into his own hands until a sickly yellow flame danced between his fingers a quick burst of charmed water destroyed the curse. 

“A burn salve should take care of the rest,” he said, trailing his fingers along the burns. The wizard held out his hand and his knapsack flew from where it rested at the foot of his bed. He pulled a silky white pouch from its depths.“Here,” he said, handing him a roll of bandages and salve he'd made from the future Severus' own potion recipe. He rose from where he crouched beside Severus’ bed and settled onto his own.

"This is burn salve?" Severus sniffed the jar, suspicion write across his face, and Harry couldn’t help but laugh. 

“The recipe is from the greatest potions master I’ve ever known,” he assured the other dark haired wizard, glance up from the animagi tome he was studying. Severus hesitantly laid a salve coated hand against his side and nearly moaned in relief. The currently shirtless Slytherin cleared his throat lowly and Harry’s attention was drawn to a patch of red slashed across Severus’ upper back. 

“Could- would you mind…?” He gestured vaguely with the jar. Harry nodded and climbed into bed behind Severus. He swept back a curtain of dark hair and slid the jar from the other’s grasp. The potion smelled of aloe and shea butter and was cold against flaming skin. Severus shivered at Harry’s feather light touch, but leaned into it as more of the fire was soothed. Tence muscles calmed and Harry found himself giving the other wizard a massage.

“Better?” He asked softly when he felt Severus relax against him. 

“Yes, thank you,” he answered with a small jolt. His back went ramrod straight and Harry sighed. “I should be able to wrap it now.” 

“Here, let me help-”

“I don’t need you help,” Severus spat out quick, defensive. Koani slithered forth and butted his head against his wizards thigh in a silent show of support. 

“I know you don’t need my help, Severus, I want to,” he rested his hand on the other wizard’s shoulder “, let me help you.” 

Severus sighed, dropping his head “, Alright.” Harry silently wound a bandage around the dark haired wizard’s torso; he gently checked that it was securely, tucked the end and swept the curtain of hair back into place. He rose and curled up around the tome on his own bed, back to Severus. Kali blinked blearily and draped over the new source of warmth “Harry?”

“Yes, Severus?” he replied softly, stroking his girls scales in a calming rhythm.

“Thank you.” The words drifted between them and rested heavily.

“Of course,” he replied. He would have done anything in his power to heal Severus. “It was nothing,” he added after a moment. And they both knew that was a lie.


	5. Chapter 5

The first time Severus' spell went wrong Harry paid it no mind. They were, after all, students and as bright as the wizard was, he couldn't be brilliant at everything. What did it matter if his transfigured dog had grains of wood for fur? But when Severus flinched at a medium strength fire charm and nearly doubled over in DADA after holding a prolonged shield Harry was... concerned. 

"Severus," Harry caught the other wizard as he ducked into the common room for the night. "We need to talk", he said quietly, nodding to their room. Severus sighed and followed the self appointed healer down to their dorm. "Is the burn cream not working?"

"The burn is nearly healed," Severus answered in a familiar, smooth drawl. He knelt before his trunk, disabling the layers of nasty wards and hexes wrapped around it.

"That doesn't answer the question," Harry said ", are you still in pain?" 

"That's a different question entirely," the Slytherin said, rooting around for his advanced Herbology text.

"Severus," Harry sighed, flopping onto the floor next to his fellow Slytherin. Kali hissed in protest at the fast movement and slithered onto the bed next to Koani. The Basilisk hissed something to his wizard too low for Harry to hear. Severus set his head stubbornly. His familiar snapped something that wrote shock on his face and he sighed, low and deep.

"It hurts," he said, looking away from Harry ", using my magic. It flares like fire when I try to use it."  
"May I see your hand?" Harry needed to inspect the other wizards core. If it was as he feared, the curse had burned Severus' very source of magic. He'd removed the cures and healed the surface wound, but hadn't thought of the magic itself. He took the hand, pale and nimble, in his own quidditch tanned hands. 

He searched to core thoroughly, making sure their were no remains of the curse; the only foreign magic he found belonged to Koani. There was, however, a jagged emptiness where the curse had burrowed in and burned. The magic had tried to heal itself, but it was weak around the edges and having trouble reforming. Especially with Severus casting spells very day; every spell twisted and molded the core to its purpose. "The curse burnt away some of your magic," Harry murmured ", Normally the core would replenish itself, but with the amount you have to cast it's straining just to keep hold on what's left." He sat back on his heals, watching the other wizards reaction carefully.

Severus' ashen face paled further. "My magic? They took my magic," his voice had wavered at first, but now it shook with rage. He jumped to his feet, unconsciously shifting back towards Koani.

"Not necessarily," Harry said tentatively. He rose too and stood before the trembling wizard. "You could always get a magic transfer." 

"Magic transfer?" Severus drawled suspiciously. "Wizards over exert their core all the time. Why've I never heard of a magic transfer?"

"Its something we've learned from muggles, actually," he explained, "They do it all the time with their blood. If you find a wizard with compatible magic, they can transfer some of it to you. Within minutes it will mix with your own and eventually casting shouldn't feel any different." He sat on the bed next to Severus, Kali slithering up to wrap around his neck. "If you want it, just ask someone you trust and have cast with often. I'll guide you through the rest. It should take care of the pain." 

Severus thought for a moment, a brief flash of emotion flitting across his face, gone before Harry could decipher it. "I'll think on it," he said finally.  
Harry nodded ", just let me know."  
x.X.x.X

It was the full moon, Harry's favorite time of month. For the brief year Remus had taught they'd gotten close. Close enough for the were to accept the emerald eyed boy as his cub. Accepting Harry into the pack the way he did allowed Harry to see him less as his godfathers lover and more as a father. His dad, James, would always be his dad, but Moony was his moon father as Remus accepted his wolf, he accepted Harry as a son. Tonight would be the first time he wasn't under the moon with his father since he arrived. 

He stopped short. Moony would be here, just a much younger moony. Harry would still smell like pack to the wolf. Suddenly, this seemed like a less than brilliant plan. He would love to run with his father, like they always did, but explaining to a young James Potter why one of his best friends considered a Slytherin pack was not something he looked forward to. 

The night before he'd let him mind drift during meditation. The usually shifting filmy mist had held a vaguely Lupin form for a few moments. Perhaps he was some sort of dog or even a wolf. Either way, hopefully the moon's rays would help ease his transformation. He had his rucksack, like always and pulled the marauder's map from its depths. It didn't show any human but Harry in the area, Luckily. He tucked it away, not knowing what would happen to it if he did manage to transform.

The first time he saw a rat he glared at it and held it at wand point for like five minutes straight. When neither a stag nor a grim came bounding out after it, he lowered his wand and snarled at the thing. It sniffed disinterestedly at him and scurried away. 

Harry settled cross legged on a fallen log, closed his eyes and concentrated on his core. He willed it to shape to his inner animal, focusing on the wolf. It was more solid now, the multicolored magic producing a silvery mist that was almost undeniably wolf.

He grinned like a cheshire cat and focused on the feeling of running along his wolf father. Limbs tingling in the moonlight, he thought of how free he'd felt come full moon, how much running with moony felt like home. He could almost hear money's howl. The sound grew louder in his ears and he felt his bones moving, gliding out of place, rearranging. His hair grew longer and melded into parts of him there'd never been hair. He felt his magic trace his clothes and his rucksack, tucking them into a wizard space that would only open with his transformation back.

When he opened his eyes the forest was different. The colors were dull, but everything was in the greatest detail he'd ever seen. The darkness of night didn't fall over his eyes; his ears picked up sounds his human ones couldn't. He rose from his haunches, the scent of prey drifting along his nostrils. He lept off the log and stumbled a bit. Walking on four legs was far different than walking on two. Though, when the hunger in his belly panged he forgot the awkwardness and took off full sprint towards his prospective meal. 

He nearly collided with a tawny grey wolf as he charge the clearing where a buck was drinking from a babbling brook. Moony, his brain supplied helpfully. He left out a little yip and the wolf spun on him with a growl and bared teeth. Harry stood his ground, something in him held him stubbornly in place, refusing to submit to the wolf before him. Moony let out a growl and Harry growled low we'd in response. When the other wolf dove at him he let them fall to the forest floor. Moony when for his throat, but quickly jerked back when he caught his own scent already on the dark wolf. Harry's young wolf, though, wouldn't accept the withdraw from a challenge. He quickly flipped them and held his own teeth at Moony's jaw until the wolf stilled beneath him. The primal beast inside him let out a happy yip and he leaped from the tawny wolf.

Moony stared at him strangely for a moment, before nuzzling the side of his neck. Harry shot him a wolfish grin and licked a stripe up the side of his face. An oversized grim lept from the brook and stared curiously at Harry. Moony barked to catch Padfoot's attention and acknowledged Harry as his alpha. Padfoot gave what must have been a shrug, but translated strangely to his canine form.  
Prongs stood still by the stream. When Harry lunged for him, his wolf instincts still seeing him as prey Padfoot's stepped in front of him and growled low in his throat. Something squeaked at Prongs' feet and Harry's gaze was drawn to wormtail. Padfoot's snapped at Harry when he got too close and the wolf merely snorted. He made eye contact with Prongs and wormtail, baring his sharp canines until they looked away. Harry let out a chuckle that came out as more of a growl in his wolf throat. The marauders had just acknowledged him as Alpha.  
x.X.x.X

"Severus!" Harry hissed when they Slytherin let a magical vine gouge him with its thorns rather than cast the sedative charm. 

"I'll be fine, Grey," he grumbled, harvesting the vines flowers and moving on to the next one. Harry bristled at the use of his last name, cursing the Herbology professor for banning Kali in Koani from the greenhouses during class. Although the next time Severus reached for a vine Harry shot it with the charm. Severus looked at him strangely for a moment before returning to his vines.  
x.X.x.X 

It was almost a week later and Harry had taken to covering for Severus' malfunctioning magic nearly half of the time. "Bloody hell Severus," he snapped one morning. The wizard had tripped and crashed into the wall and didn't bother to cast anything, not even a simple episkey. "I won't let you go on like this," he said. He ignored the voice inside of him that was convinced he was too invested. He had this inexplicable urge to protect Severus, sure. But it wasn't as if the wizard had given any indication that he actually gave a shite about Harry other than when he needed something. Even so, seeing any wizard as proud and dignified as Severus unable to perform a first year spell made his insides twist into knots. "I just... can't. You're a wizard. Either get someone to give you a magic transfer or I'll have to bring this to the attention of our healer."

"Mind your own business, Grey," Severus snapped back. "I never asked for your help, I don't need your help." Koani stirred restlessly where he lay curled on Severus' bed. He blinked up at his wizard and let out a sigh, a strange action on a snake. The basilisk rose up and rested his head on his wizard's shoulder, hissing something urgent and quiet.

"Koani, Really?" he asked with a stifled gasp, his face going pale "Why didn't you tell me?"

Koani flicked Severus' cheek with his tongue. "Just ask him, Sev." 

"Would you-would," Severus asked, eyes glued to his familiar ", wouldyoubeabletotransferyourownmagic?”

“Of course," Harry said. He'd thought of it. He would've done it for the wizard in the first place, but he doubted the proud boy would accept his offer. "Wouldn't you rather have someone else?" 

"Forget it," he sighed, pushing past Harry. "I was stupid to ask.

"Severus, wait," he said, catching his fellow Slytherin's arm. "I'll help you, gladly. I just don't know why you'd pick me of all people.”

"Not all of us have leagues of friends, Grey.”

Harry didn't really know how to respond to that, so he just sighed ", Please, call me Harry." Severus nodded and turned to face the other wizard. "Sit, we'd better do this now, before you have a day of class." 

They sat cross legged on Severus' bed. Harry took both his hands, closed his eyes and focused on his magical core. It leapt to attention happily and rushed through his body questioningly, awaiting a task. It flowed through his arms and filled his hands. Harry pushed their palms together tight until he felt the magic embrace Severus' hands too. From there the magic had a mind of its own, reading the intent of both wizards it inhabited. Severus gasped as a dark emptiness inside him was overrun with healing magic. Suddenly as if sensing it had achieved its task the remaining magic snapped back to Harry like a rubber band. It flooded them both with magic. 

"You alright?" Harry asked carefully. Severus nodded dumbly, his magic was singing in his veins. "Try casting something!" 

Severus rested his wand against his foot and cast a hesitant ", Episkey." He nodded, a small grin breaking his face. "It worked thank you, Harry.” 

"Sure thing."

"Well, I'm heading down to breakfast before it's over," he said, climbing to his feet. "You coming?" 

"In a minute." 

"Alright," Severus said, a lightness in his voice like Harry had never heard. He scooped up his books and practically drifted from the dorm. 

Harry sat there dumbstruck until Kali bumped his shoulder with her tail. "My Harry, what is it?"  
"I felt it, Kali," he whispered, voice shaking "When he cast, I felt it, the way I feel when I cast my own magic." 

Kali snorted ", Of course you did; it IS your magic. Why, what did you think giving him your magic would do?"


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Harry Potter. Thanks a million for the Kudos and reviews. The characters had a mind of their own in this ...

“Bloody hell!” Harry hissed, jumping back as the sea foam green goo bubbled over the cauldron. He was in one of the individual potions labs available to Slytherins trying to complete his next potion for his healer training. It was one he’d seen done before, as it was a pretty common potion, but it was incredibly intricate. He was getting better overall, but at this potion in particular, he was bouloux.

“You added the kelp too early,” a voice murmured from the doorway. “and your flame’s far too high.” Harry spun, wand in hand and in half a second he had the voice held at wand point. His eyes locked with dark ones. Severus. 

He exhaled shakily “, Sorry.”

“Do I want to know?” Severus asked, unfazed. 

“Probably not,” Harry said. “So? I added the kelp too early?” Severus nodded, planting himself on the bench next to Harry’s. He bent over Harry’s potions text, inspecting the recipe. 

He shook his head and huffed, exasperated “Quill.” He took the quill and scribbled in the margins for about a solid minute. “There. Try that.” He only had to speak up twice, as he was about to make a mistake, and physically restrain the wizard once. “Are you trying to blow up the lab?” Severus asked, hand wrapped around Harry’s wrist. The dandelion stems between his fingers drifting to the table. 

“No,” Harry said sheepishly, moving to stir the potion. Severus released his wrist, pinching the bridge of his nose. 

“You’re hopeless,” he mumbled after having to jump up and catch Harry’s stirring rod from going in the opposite direction it was supposed to. “Here,” he stood behind the other wizard, wrapping his arms around him. He placed his hands over Harry’s on the rod. “Like this,” he murmured, breath on Harry’s neck. “Got it?” Harry nodded, trying to ignore the tightening in his trousers. Eventually they successfully completed a potion. 

“Thanks for your help,” Harry said, grinning gratefully, “It usually takes me ages to get one right.”

“You’ll use up the ingredients stock going on like you are,” the onyx eyed slytherin said with a smirk, “maybe we should make this a weekly event, for the ingredients sake.”

“Of course, Severus,” Harry said with a chuckle, “I’d love too.”  
x.X.x.X.

The marauders had slipped their pranks into the Slytherin’s dinner. The pranks changed many of their skin tones to either maroon or red, they’d died Severus’ pink and a few of the foods exploded upon touching plates, it made a tiny girl, who had sprouted pig ears and a snout, fall backwards off the bench and start to cry. Harry snapped to his feet; he canceled his own bright maroon skin, Sirius had taught him the ridiculous charm in his own time. He rushed over to the girl and lifted her into his arms.

“Hello,” he said softly, “My name’s Harry. May I help you?” She nodded, sniffing lightly. Ice blue eyes looked up at him from wet, dark lashes. He bopped her on the nose, lightly, with his wand. The pig features transfigured into bright pink roses. “There you are,” he said, handing her the little bouquet. 

He set her back at the table and stalked over to where the marauders sat, exploding with laughter. “Potter,” he snapped. The table went silent. “Black. Gryffindors.” A hush rolled over the great hall. “You will not continue these behaviors,” he snarled, forcing the Alpha into his voice, “You will leave my house, and all other innocents, alone.” Potter clenched his jaw and jutted out his chin in clear challenge. 

“Oh yeah? What are you gonna do about it, Grey?” Black questioned defiantly. Harry snapped his fingers and the charms on the Slytherins visibly dissolved. He held Black’s eyes till he looked down in submission. Harry spun and strode from the great hall, oblivious to the pure shock written across his entire houses’ faces.  
x.X.x.X. 

"Have you found it yet?" Severus asked a few nights later, flopping onto the bed beside Harry. Harry jumped where his sat, snapping the book closed. He'd been putting his final transfiguration project together.

"Have I found what yet?" Harry asked, eying the wizard suspiciously. This was the most familiar Severus had acted with him. Ever.

"Your animagus form," Severus said. He nodded at the snakes where they were coiled up in the sunlight streaming in from the window, "They talk, you know and the only other magic that requires that much meditation is occelmentry." 

Harry rolled his eyes, of course. Kali had been pushing him to talk to Severus since he tied their magic. It couldn't hurt to show him. If Severus hadn't told anyone yet he wouldn't or at least not until he needed something. 

"Alright, stay there," Harry said, climbing to his feet.

He stood beside the bed and focused on his core. He'd already done this before, so the shift was easier. He felt his form shrink. Fur pushed from his skin; A tail formed. Bones reformed so he stood on four limbs instead of two. Heh felt a strange tingling along his shoulder blades, but wrote it off to the fur. Harry glanced up at Severus, but the bed was far higher than he expected. He lifted a paw, it was much, much smaller than it had been last time. 

He opened his mouth to speak out of habit, jerking backwards when a 'meow' came out instead of the 'yip' he expected. He darted over to the window, vertically slitted emerald eyes widening. He was some sort of cat, but no kind he recognized. He was about the size of a bobcat. His fur was 7h midnight back, save a white patch of fur over his left eye.

From the reflection of the bed jumped a black smudge. Harry spun around to face an almost identical cat. He was slimmer, his tail was just a bit longer and his fur was entirely black. The cat blinked at him and it was then that he notice the startling deepness of the cats black eyes. Severus? He shifted back instantly 

"Severus?" Harry whispered. The cat made a dark grumbly noise. "I don't know what happened, but you need to try and shift back. Focus on your human form." The magic seemed to push out of him for a moment. It fluctuated, then snapped back like a rubber band. The cat hissed and shuttered. "Wait!" Harry said, his magic had done this. Maybe his magic could reverse it. "Try again." The newfound animagus glared. "Just try, trust me." This time, as the magic wavered, Harry too focused on Severus shifting. A disgruntled wizard sat before him. 

"What? Was? That?" Severus practically spat out "What have you done to me?"

"I'm sorry," Harry said, "I had no idea. I didn't know transferring magic could do that. " He climbed shakily to his feet.

"Do. What?" Severus growled, jumping to his feet. "What did you DO to me, Grey?" 

"When you cast," Harry explained sheepishly, hand at the nape of his neck, "I can feel it, like it's my own. We're, we're bound."

"For how long?" Severus snarled, stalking forward until he was inches from the other Slytherin. "How long have you known what you've done?" 

"The first spell," Harry said in a strained whisper, "I've know since you cast the first spell." 

"What gives you the right?" He growled, backing Harry in a corner. "To keep something like this from me. Were you ever going to tell me?" 

"I, yes, of course, I-" Harry said, their eyes locked, fire flaring in both.

"When?" Severus growled, stepping closer. "When?" He whispered harshly, betrayal filling the crack in his voice.

"I, I don't know!" Harry snapped, "I'm telling you now!" 

"Why?" Severus growled, breath coming out in sharp pants. "Why do you even care? Why the hell do you care so bloody much?"

"I don't know!" Harry roared. Before either of them knew what was happening he'd yanked Severus to him and they were kissing. Fueled by passion and anger and confusion, full of rough, it was a battle for dominance. 

Harry brought his hands to tangle in Severus' hair. In turn Severus grasped Harry by his shoulders to the point that little red half moons formed beneath his fingertips. "What are we doing?" Harry gasped, stepping back only to be met with a wall. 

"I don't know!?" Severus panted, lurching forward, their bodies pressed together tight. His hands snapped up to the wall on either side of Harry's head. "Do you want to stop?" He asked, lips brushing Harry's as he spoke. 

"No," Harry panted, pushing back. His hands wandered down the dark eyed Slytherin's sides till they reached his hips. 

"Then don't," Severus growled. Harry gasped in response, fingers tightening. He yanked the lanky Slytherin to him and rolled so Severus was the one with his back against the wall. Severus moaned and Harry brushed a lock of long hair aside. He trailed kisses along his neck, nipping along his collarbone and settling at the hollow of his throat. There'd probably be a mark in the morning. 

Harry trailed his hands down Severus' sides, fingertips slipping beneath the hem of his shirt. Panic flashed through his dark eyes and Harry remembered the scars that littered his his torso. He slid his hands to the button of Severus’ trousers and grinned devilishly. At Severus’ panted pleading Harry freed him of his trousers and pants; he removed his own soon after. He took their cocks in his big, warm hands, wanking them together. Severus’ head fell forward, sharp pants fluttering against Harry’s neck. “I’m close,” he breathed in warning. 

Harry took a hand off their cocks to pull one of Severus’ from his shoulder. He brought it next to the one that had remained; their hands brushing and intertwining as they moved. The emerald eyed wizard used his free hand to lift the other Slytherin against the wall. Severus moaned, wrapping his legs around Harry's waist his back arching in pleasure. Harry growled and bent down to capture Severus’ lips. Severus moaned into the kiss, tightening his hold on Harry and soon they were both cumming. Warm seed splattered their disheveled shirts and coated their intertwined fingers.

Harry murmured cleaning charm that took care of their shirts and a summoning spell that sent a damp rag soaring into his hand. He held Severus’ eyes as he cleaned their spent cocks and wiped clean their hands. He dropped the rag into a banishing charm and slowly lowered the onyx eyed wizard to the floor. Severus stumbled a bit, his foot having fallen asleep. 

“I got you,” Harry said, tightening his hold.

“We really should be getting to bed,” Severus whispered, velvet voice low and husky. He scooped up his trousers and pants, looking as if he was about to put them back on. Harry grinned and they stood in their sleep clothes, Severus in a nightshirt, Harry in boxers. 

“Alright, lets go to bed,” Harry said, tugging the slightly shocked slytherin after him. He turned back the covers and climbed in. Severus shifted nervously. “Your choice,” Harry murmured, “I wont mind if you go, but I’d really love it if you’d stay.” He stayed. Severus lay facing him, slowly shifting forward till he had his head on Harry’s chest. He jumped a bit when Harry wrapped an arm around him. “You okay?” 

He nodded into Harry’s chest “, I’m alright, just wasn’t expecting it. Not exactly used to this.” Harry hummed in agreement “Am I okay? Is this-?”

“You’re okay, Severus,” Harry murmured, rubbing lazy circles on his arm with the pad of his thumb. The onyx eyed wizard shifted so their eyes met. “You’re okay.” Severus nodded, eyes fluttering shut slowly. Harry smiled sleepily, tightening his hold on the wizard that lay in his arms. “Goodnight, Severus,” he murmured into his hair.

“‘Night, Harry,” he whispered against his chest. 

“Nox.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Harry Potter. I've had a few reviews asking about Dumbledore. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about him. Thanks for the Kudos and reviews! Enjoy.

Harry woke to a sharp smack to his side. He blinked blearily in the soft glow from the lake. Severus lay at his side. The wizard was shaking and whimpering, caught up in a nightmare. His whimpers bled into a hoarse shout and he jerked awake, gasping.

"Hey," Harry murmured, voice rough with sleep. Severus jumped, spinning towards him so fast, he became caught in the bedsheets and nearly tumbled from the bed. 

"Sorry," Severus whispered, cheeks flooding pink. He swiftly detached himself from the bedsheets and skittered back shakily, "There are usually silencing charms. I, I forgot. Sorry." Harry caught his shoulders before he could flee the bed. The emerald eyed wizard shifted so he was more centered on the bed. 

"Stop using silencing charms," he grumbled sleepily, eyes already drooping. "C'mere," he mumbled, pulling Severus back down, so the onyx eyed wizard was lying almost completely top of him. The bedsheets drifted over them with a short wandless, wordless thought. 

Severus blinked awake to the scent of pine and musk and a low rumble beneath his cheek. He lay tucked into Harry's side, head pillowed on his chest. Thank Merlin, Harry still appeared to be sleeping. He slowly lifted his arm, which had found its way around Harry's torso. He hefted a solid arm from where it lay holding him to the emerald eyed wizard. Harry's other arm had looped down his back, settling on his hip. He lifted the quidditch tanned hand from his person and slow rose to his knees.  
What the hell had he been thinking, falling asleep in another's bed. Now Harry knew about his night terrors and they had... done things. Sure, he was attracted to his roommate, but that's all it was, an acknowledgement of Harry's attractiveness. Staying the night made it more. It wasn't more. It was just a quick wank in the heat of the moment. Harry couldn't possibly see them as anything else.

"Hey," Harry mumbled, voice husky and full of sleep. "Mornin'." He stretched like a cat, yawning an arching off the bed. 

Harry saw more than heard Severus' breath catch at the mangled mess of scars that was his skin. The Dursleys had left his back like hamburger meat a time to many for anything even slightly resembling unblemished. His chest was littered with little lines from broken bottles. The glamor had slipped from his arm where the bone had broken through skin. His magic as his only cast, he'd been left with a jagged scar. 

Severus paused with his tie halfway knotted, eyes tracing the barred expanse of skin. "They're still children," Harry said ruefully, answering the unspoken question, "with no idea of what they'll become."  
Severus didn't know how to respond to that; Harry finished dressing in silence. Harry swung his rucksack over his shoulder and sighed. He stood before the onyx eyed Slytherin, battling his frozen hands away from his tie. He finished the knot and straightened his tie. 

"We've all got or scars, Severus," he said with a sigh. His fingers slid along his neck, resting on Severus' collarbone. "Episkey," he murmured after a moment, a smirk flitting across his face as he healed the love bite. 

Everyone in the common room went silent turned towards Harry when he entered. It looked like nearly the entire house was gathered. "Kali?" he hissed "What's going on?" Some of the younger years hadn't yet heard him speak parseltongue and gasped in surprise. The snake snorted and shook her head.  
"Breakfast, My Harry," she hissed, climbing onto her wizards shoulders. He opened the portrait hole and the little third year he'd helped the night before caught it before it could close.

"A few of us thought we'd walk with you?" she asked with a mischievous smile, "Is that alright?" 

"Uh, I suppose so," Harry said. After walking a while he turned to see who'd followed them, the entire Slytherin house stared back. His entire house, organized by year, had followed him. "Holy Merlin, did I do something?" Kali snickered, a strange noise coming from a snake. 

A third year boy stepped forward, the younger years parting to let him though. "You used wordless, wandless magic. Twice. The entire house felt it. Your power is like nothing any of us have ever felt before." 

Harry locked eyes with Nott, "Stronger than Riddle?" 

"Overwhelmingly," he whispered, looking slightly green.

Harry's eyes softened, "We'll talk later." He turned to the Slytherin's, who'd been watching the exchange with observed eyes. "Alright, well, I'm going to breakfast." 

Harry grinned when he reached the main hall, might as well have some fun with this. The doors, propelled by his magic flew open with a groan. The entire hall went silent. Harry led his house to their table, standing at the head. The mass split in half and walked towards the head table. When Harry's year mate's reached their places, he stood next to them, facing the great hall. In unison they sat, eating their breakfast calmly in the silence.

Slowly, chatter seeped back into the hall, but Slytherin remained silent. The other houses shot fugitive glances at them throughout the meal. They knew something significant had just happened, but weren't sure what. Harry himself wasn't even sure he knew what was going on. A predetermined student from each year discreetly indicated that their year was done eating. Nott, sitting across from Harry, told him in a whisper that they were finished. 

As one, Slytherin stood and followed Harry from the hall. The youngest students immediately darted off to class. A few of the older years lingered, watching him, as if they expected him to do something special. They dispersed as other houses began trickling from the Great Hall. Only Severus and Nott remained at his side. They followed him as he strode to an empty class room. 

"There is something we need to discuss," Severus said, voice slightly unsure, eyes shifting between them, "Should I leave you alone? I'm sure we'll catch up later."

"No," Harry said, transfiguring a few of the desks into an overstuffed couch, an armchair and a low table. "Sit. Anything he wants to say to me, he can say in front of you. I'll end up telling you anyway." He turned a calculating gaze to Nott. "So, tell me about Riddle and his Death Eaters."  
x.X.x.X.

Lunch was an eventful affair. Slytherin had returned to normal, eating and chatting as if nothing had happened. This, if possible, frightened the other houses more than anything. About half way through the doors slid open with a groan and Harry saw the last man he'd been expecting to see walk through them. Dumbledore, well a much younger Dumbledore.

"Godfather!" Potter roared, springing from the table to latch onto the man. "Where've you been? Father wouldn't say!" Dumbledore chuckled and murmured something to the boy that made him grin and dark back to his table. He sat among the Marauders snickering and whimpering the rest of the meal. 

"He was our transfiguration professor during our younger years," Severus explained in a whisper, "He's also Potter's Godfather. Spoils the Gryffindors." 

Harry nodded and forced the indifference on his face. He'd thought he wouldn't have to face the man who betrayed him so on this time. He shuddered as he watched Professor McGonagall and the Headmaster greet him like old friends. He was given his own place at the table, surveying the hall with those twinkling blue eyes. This did not bode well for him.  
x.X.x.X.

"Alright, what did you want to discuss?" Harry asked that night. They sat on their beds facing eachother. They'd put this off until last thing, already having finished their homework, prepared for bed and dressed in their night clothes. 

"You changed my magic," Severus said, a strange expression on his face. "I was angry at first, because that wasn't something you had a right to do-"

"-I'm truly sorry," Harry said, "if that means anything."

"I'm accept," Severus said with a huff, "now let me finish." Harry nodded and made some ridiculous muggle sign against his mouth and over his shoulder that must've meant he wouldn't speak, "I was angry with you, still think I should be, but this morning I realized you made it stronger. I can do wandless now, without thought; it just happens. And you did save me from the fire, so thank you, even if you didn't tell me right away." 

"You can do wandless?" Harry asked, face lighting up. "That's brilliant and of course I saved you from the fire. The marauders are morons, using spells like that." Harry shook his head, remembering fifth year, when he'd nearly taken out Malfoy with a spell he didn't know the meaning of. 

"There is one other thing," Severus said, continuing at Harry's nodded. "I was wondering if you could talk me through changing into my animagus form." Harry nodded, an excited grin on his face. This was going to be brilliant. 

Once Severus was transformed, busy prancing around and inspecting himself in the glass, Harry focused on his core. He could feel it distinctly now, where his core ended and Severus' began. There was, however, a tendril connecting them, were magic could ebb and flow between cores if one were to pull from it. Harry focused in separating the cores best he could, then changing his own form. He thought of the cat, like Severus and slipped into it easily. 

He did something risky then, extra car full with his intent. He made sure to keep Severus' part of the core far away. His focused on his wolf and running on full moon's with Mooney. He knew he was successful more by the wide eyes of the car before him, than anything else. He leapt back onto his bed and shifted to his human form. Severus snapped out of his shock and transformed on his own bed. "What was that?" He asked, eyes glued to Harry's form. 

"Uh, apparently I have more than one form," Harry said with a shrug, "so you probably have more then one aswell." .  
Severus snorted, a small smile slipping onto his face, "Of course you do. Let me know when you find another form."  
x.X.x.X. 

Harry wasn't sure why he woke at first. He sent out a pulse of magic, like muggle echolocation to detect any magical signature. It ricocheted off the silencing wards wrapped around Severus' bed. Harry sighed, climbing to his feet. Kali hissed crankily when he moved; she'd been using him as her source of warmth. He scooped her up, settling her on the heating rock next to Koani.

"Go back to sleep, Kali," he hissed softly. "Everything's alright, sorry I woke you." She grumbled something incoherent and coiled up against her mate. Harry ripped the silencing wards from the bed, weaving them into the room's wards. "Severus," he called as loud as he dared, not wanting to wake their familiars again. He knelt at his side, shaking him softly. 

Severus jolted awake, gasping for breath. A few tears slid down his cheeks and Harry moved towards him without thought. He slid beside the shaking wizard and pulled him into his arms. "What did I say about silencing wards?" Harry whispered fiercely, tightening his hold. Severus let out a pained laugh that morphed into a sob. "Hey, I got you," Harry whispered into his hair. "Go back to sleep. I'm right here. I'll be here." Watery onyx eyes blinked up at him when he shifted so they were laying down. "Sleep, Severus," he murmured tiredly. He ran absent-minded hands through long dark hair. "Sleep."


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Harry Potter. Thanks for the kudos and reviews. Enjoy!

Perhaps the most shocking thing about Tom Riddle was his handsome appearance and charming demeanor. His Death Eaters sat on either side of him like equals the cavernous room elegant and gothic. He wondered if Riddle's followers could see through the glamor on the abandoned warehouse. 

Harry'd discussed this with Severus' before hand, but the onyx eyed wizard couldn’t seem to relax. Koani was draped lazily over his shoulders and chest, hiding his nervous fidgeting. Harry clapped Nott on the shoulder, thanking the young man for escorting him. 

"Riddle," Harry said in greeting, wrapping his occelmentry shields in memories of everyday going ons, potions and charms and unremarkable lunches. He didn't know how much occelmentry the wizard knew, but he was too powerful to underestimate.

"Grey," the man purred, voice slick as oil. He stalked forward, a much smaller Naigi trailing after him, "Our very own time traveler." He looked far too smug, as if, all of Slytherin was under Harry's command. Riddle was only aware of Harry's trip through time, because the wizard himself had allowed it. Harry merely shrugged, stroking Kali's scales absent-mindedly. 

The Dark Lord deflated, before trying another angle. How he hated not being in control. "My followers are under the impression that you're powerful." 

Harry shrugged, "Perhaps." Kali snorted from where she lay, wrapped around his neck. Her wizard was the most powerful since Merlin, especially with the addition of his mate's magic.  
Riddle's beautiful face twisted into something fierce, "Crucio!" 

The corner of Harry's mouth quirked up in amusement. He caught the curse with an open hand. It swirled in his palm like a viscous quaffle. With a vicious smirk, he tossed the ball in the air, caught it again and lobbed it at a gobsmacked Riddle. The too handsome man dropped to the ground, withering in pain. The Death Eaters looked like they were about to piss themselves as Riddle climbed unsteadily to his feet. 

"I have no interest in your war," Harry said, addressing the wobbly Dark Lord. Riddle practically collapsed into his thrown. He hadn't been held under the cruciatus much before and his tolerance was shite. "Not in this time, anyway." Harry grinned at the blind rage in Riddle's eyes.

Kali hissed in laughter, slithering from her master's shoulders. The Death Eaters sat petrified, they dared not touch the powerful wizard's familiar. Koani slid from Severus' shoulders to nuzzle his mate. "Severus," Harry hissed, holding out his hand. The onyx eyed wizard stepped into Harry's arms. Their snakes coiled protectively around them. 

"You will not harm him," Harry hissed at Riddle, eyes sweeping over the rest of the Death Eaters. He wound his magic around Severus' left forearm. "He will not feel pain through your mark." He couldn't change that Severus became a Death Eater, but he could do this. He could take away the onyx eyed wizards pain. With a smug grin he apparated them and their familiars into their room at Hogwarts. 

"Severus?" Harry asked as the shaky Slytherin pushed himself from his arms. Their snakes slipped away, presumably to hunt.

"That was not what we discussed," Severus said quietly. Harry sighed, he knew he'd strayed from their plan, but he hadn't expected Riddle to be so bloody arrogant. Harry'd needed to prove he was more powerful or the Dark Lord would never stop trying to recruit him. And the bit at the end, that was just protecting Severus. 

"I know," Harry said softly, moving to stand behind the onyx eyed wizard, "I'm sorry." 

Severus shivered as a warm weight settled on his hips; Harry's chest pressed against his spine. "Harry?" Severus asked, breath hitching. 

Soft lips trailed along the column of his neck, magic buzzing on his tongue, "Humm?" Harry nipped at the base of his throat. Severus gasped, arching back into Harry's hard member. Harry growled turning they lithe wizard in his arms. They surged forward, magic crackling between them as their lips connected.

Severus shrugged off his robe, wandering hands moving to disrobe the emerald eyed wizard as well. Harry's hands reclaimed their hold on his hips, yanking him closer as Severus' hands fisted in his hair. Severus moaned as Harry rolled his hips, their throbbing cocks sliding against one another. The back of the long haired wizard's legs hit Harry's bed and they found themselves tumbling onto it. 

Harry slid between Severus' spread legs, arms braced on either side of his head. Severus ground their aching members together with a roll of his hips, hands finding purchase in dark messy locks. Harry groaned, his hand drifting to the clasp of the onyx eyed wizards trousers; he broke from their kiss, voice husky. "Tell me to stop," he practically growled, words full of magic dancing on Severus' lips. 

"Don't stop," Severus gasped. Harry held his eyes, searching. Severus whimpered beneath him, hips bucking desperately. "Harry," he moaned, long pale fingers fumbling with the buttons of Harry's shirt. Harry chuckled darkly and wrapped a large, warm hand around Severus' . A magic charged finger ran along the front of his shirt. He sunk back on his knees, deft fingers undoing Severus' buttons as the other wizard rid him of his shirt. 

Harry sunk back down, brushing a kiss over Severus' lips. He hovered over the onyx eyed wizard, leaving a trail of love bites down the pale column of Severus' throat; he moved farther, blowing warm breath over a dusky nipple. He encased the pebbled nipple in warm, wet heat, nipping and sucking; his hand came up to play with the other. They were soon equally abused, sending shocks of pleasure to Severus' aching member. 

Lustful emerald eyes met smoldering onyx as Harry kissed his way down Severus chest, lips brushing any scars they encountered. He undid the lithe Slytherin's trousers; Severus hissed as his weeping cock was freed from his pants. Harry smirked devilishly, wrapping a hand around the throbbing organ, Severus gasped, bucking into his touch. Harry took the weeping cock into his mouth, swirling his tongue around the head. Severus' hands fisted in his hair as he sunk deeper, relaxing his throat, swallowing his member to the root. 

"Harry," Severus panted, "I'm close." The hands in Harry's hair tightened, trying to pull him off, but Harry just sucked harder. The lithe wizard mewled and Harry chuckled, the vibrations echoing through Severus' cock. He came hard, Harry's hands wrapped around bucking hips.Harry licked the boneless wizard's softening member clean and slid up his body to kiss him slowly. Severus moaned, tasting himself on Harry's lips. He felt himself reharden against the muscled body above him.

Using one arm to support him, Harry wrapped a hand around their pulsing members, nearly bring Severus to the brink once more. "Harry," Severus panted, "wait." Harry's movement ceased and his eyes flashed to meet onyx orbs. "Want you to come inside me," he murmured, eyes flitting away, face flushed scarlet. 

"Severus," Harry whispered, cradling the lithe Slytherin's face, "We're not going to do anything you're not ready for or don't want." 

"I want," Severus whispered, breath ragged. He locked eyes with the wizard above him and rolled his hips, cock twitching in Harry's hand. "Want you inside me." Harry captured his lips before moving down his body; Severus' legs fell to the side, exposing his pink pucker.

Harry wandlessly summoned the lube from his bedside table. He kept one lubed hand on Severus' cock, stroking him languidly as he breached him with one finger. Severus tensed at the intrusion, relaxing at low murmurs from Harry. He slowly added another lubed digit, scissoring him open. He found his prostate with the third finger and Severus was eagerly fucking himself on the digits. "Harry," He moaned when a fourth finger was added, "Want you." 

Harry removed his hands to lube up his cock, Severus whimpering at the emptiness. Emerald eyes locked with onyx as Harry's cock head breached Severus' tight passage. Harry groaned, bloody hell he was tight, holding still as he could once he bottomed out.

"Move," Severus snarled desperately after a moment, grinding back in an attempt to fuck himself on Harry's cock. And move he did, Harry thrust into his tight hole, dipping down to capture Severus' lips. The lithe wizard whimpered as Harry began to slam into his prostate with every thrust. "Harry," Severus moaned, arching off the bed as he came in thick ribbons across their chests. Harry came soon after as the tight passage milked him.

He slipped from the boneless wizard beneath him, kissing him soft and slow. He conjured a warm, wet flannel, wiping their chests and spent cocks clean. Severus' eyes were already fluttering shut. Harry maneuvered them beneath the covers and held a sleepy Severus in his arms until morning.  
x.X.x.X.

Peter Pettigrew was in the hospital wing for a few days due to an unfortunate accident in transfiguration. It may or may not have been a wandless spell from Harry that rendered the boy a rat. Everyone else, of course, had no idea it was a spell to reveal animagi. There was no proof against anyone, as they'd all been working on individual projects it was easily written off as a stray spell went wrong. By the time Pomfrey figured out how to reverse the spell, that oh so conveniently took as much magic to break as was used in the casting, the full moon would have passed. 

Dumbledore eyed Slytherin seventh years suspiciously for the rest of class. The wizard had stopped by to sit in with McGonagall, spending little to none of his time actually with the professor and most of it helping out the Marauders and their friends. 

It wasn't as if the Marauders hadn't had it coming. Earlier that morning Harry had come across the dark haired third year Slytherin disarmed by Sirius and Peter. They'd had her backed into a corner, spouting of house prejudices. Harry'd snapped when Pettigrew's wand scraped her throat. He surged forward, all three wands flying into his open hand. 

"Harry," Kali cautioned as she felt his ire bubble. 

He took a deep breath, winding his magic tighter around his core so it wouldn't absent-mindedly lash out at Pettigrew or Black. He moved between the distraught Gryffindors and the shaking little girl. He held the girls wand behind his back, feeling trembling little fingers close around it. 

"Black," Harry growled, "fetch." He tossed their wands in the air, where they hovered for a moment before zooming away. They would drop before the Fat Lady. He turned and dropped to one knee before the little one. "Hello, love, are you alright?" 

She nodded, voice soft and broken, long dark locks covering most of her face, "Sorry you had to rescue me, I have a knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time." 

Harry's lips quirked into a wry grin, "Don't mention it, I happen to have that same problem. Do you have a name?" 

"Pandora," she answered softly, "Pandora Lovegood and everyone knows you're Harry Potter." She must be Luna's mum, then. It didn't bother Harry that the little girl knew who he was, Luna was a seer after all, probably from her mum.

"Not in this time, little one," Harry said, settling the tiny witch over his rucksack piggy back style , "Hadrian Grey." 

"Of course," she said with a giggle, allowing the time traveler to escort her to herbology with Ravenclaw. Harry smiled softly as she scampered off to sit beside a much younger Xenophilius.  
x.X.x.X.

"Where are we going?" Severus asked that night as they slipped from the castle doors. 

"I want to show you something," Harry said, keeping a tight hold on the cloak of invisibility. 

"It's the full moon, Harry," Severus said, shaking a bit, "incase you hadn't noticed." 

Harry grinned, "Trust me." They stopped a few meters into the forest, Harry tucking his cloak away and tightening his rucksack, "Alright, change." Harry yipped happily when he successfully turned into a wolf. Severus had as well and was still testing his legs. The smaller wolf yipped at Harry in question. Harry gave a canine grin before taking off, trusting Severus to follow.

He scented the Marauders and snuck up on Moody, he sauntered into the clearing, sure to keep Severus behind him. Moony sniffed them curiously, but settled when he smelt that the new wolf was his Alpha's mate.

Padfoot, on the other hand, grizzled and lunged at Severus. Harry snarled, tackling the grim, jaws around his throat when he whined in submission Harry motioned Severus over, who also wrapped his jaw around Padfoot's throat. Harry jumped off him with a self satisfied smirk, Severus would be ecstatic come morning.

They ran as a pack after that, Harry relishing in the feeling of running beneath the moon with Severus and Remus. Harry and Severus split just before the Gryffindor animagi headed back to the shack. The Slytherin hid under the invisibility cloak in a warded corner of the shack. Severus nearly fell over in shock when the three transformed. 

"Lupin is a werewolf?" Severus asked, "and Dippet allows him at the school? He could hurt someone, turn them." He had no answer, although he was glad his future honorary godfather would be allowed to teach at the school.

"You're safe," Harry reminded him softly, quelling Severus' fears, "You're more dominant within the pack."


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Xenophilius takes Pandora's last name. Not exactly relevant I just like the idea that those are the people who make Luna into the wonderful little thing she is.

Harry stood on the quidditch pitch next to two third year boys and fifth year girl. Last game a blugder and a rogue broom had taken out their seeker, beater and Ravenclaw's chaser; they'd be out for the rest of the season. A few meters away stood another group of Slytherin, trying out for beater, Nott one of them.

The seers would each have a turn trying to catch the snitch. They'd be flying in the midst of the beaters tryouts to get an accurate representation of their skill. The boys were far too careful on their broom, although the girl showed promise. When it was Harry's turn he launched into the air. Merlin he'd missed flying. He caught the snitch in record time, although his status had guaranteed him a spot on the team, now he deserved it.

Their next game was against Gryffindor. The stands were packed, roaring and jeering. Severus sat alone on the edge of Slytherin, the snakes coiled around him, seeking refuge from the fierce wind. Harry watched the dark haired Slytherin with a small grin as Pandora took a seat beside him, closer than any of the others dared. She handed him what he knew to be a small paper bundle tied loosely with black twine. Inside lay a silver and forest green knit hat, a pair of black, leather gloves, and a bit of parchment with messy scrawl reading, "Stay warm. ~H."

Something light and warm ignited inside him as he saw the look that overtook Severus' face. Harry payed no mind to the reading of the rules, instead watching Severus' pale fingers trail reverently over the warm, soft gloves. He rose with his team, only half an eye on the snitch as Pandora stood onto the bench to pull the knit cap over dark locks and cold tipped ears. 

The shrill cry of the whistle cut through his mind, emerald eyes locking on the fluttering golden ball. Unfortunately, Potter's did as well, they flew shoulder to shoulder, both reckless and brash. As one, the ducked to avoid a blugder, sending them diving out of range of the snitch. They made lazy circles around the pitch until it hovered around the Gryffindor goal. Both seekers pushed their brooms harder than they dared, rocketing through the sky. Slytherin's cheers were thunderous, as Harry was far closer to Gryffindor than Potter. 

His fingertips had just brushed the snitch when a flash of red went tumbling from Gryffindor's stands. Without thought he dove after the plummeting figure, all thought of the snitch forgotten. He caught a slim, tanned hand first, using it to swing the Gryffindor unto his broom. They landed not so gracefully, stumbling with the impact of the shuddering broom. Watery green eyes blinked up at him through a mess of auburn curls. 

"Thank you," the witch whispered shakily, clutching the front of Harry's robes for support. Above them, the pitch went wild as an announcer called out that the Gryffindor seeker had won the game. 

"Are you alright?" Harry asked softly, searching her over in concern. A pulse of light blue magic swept over her, a basic diagnostic charm spelling out minor bruising and a dislocated shoulder. "Shite," he hissed, not realizing he'd slipped into parseltongue. The Gryffindor Quidditch team, Dumbledore, and half of Hogwarts had stormed the pitch, James Potter in the lead. Black's face flooded with equal parts fury and indignation as he spotted them. He had jabbed Potter in the side and cried out to Dumbledore.

"Hold still, Evans," Harry ordered gently, taking hold of her collarbone and elbow, "You've got a dislocated shoulder. It needs to be put back into place." She nodded in understanding, abnormally unconcerned by how easily she trusted him. "This might hurt a bit," he said, before pulling her arm sharply into place. 

"Keep your hands off her, Grey," Potter roared, lunging forward to yank Lily out of Harry's arms. He drew his wand with a snarl, free arm wrapped around his girlfriend's waist.

"James Harold Potter!" Lily snapped wriggling from his arms, "He was healing me. I nearly fell to my death, incase you hadn't noticed." 

"But, babe," Potter placated, "I won the match." 

"James Potter," Lily hissed, deadly quiet . Harry let out a shuddering sigh, slipping into the crowd. He needed to find Severus.

"Harry?" Severus asked into his chest, words muffled as Harry had pulled him into an embrace without pretense. They stood together, somewhere between the pitch and the castle, Harry's magic humming restlessly beneath his skin. 

"Promise me you won't hate me," Harry whispered harshly. That Severus had ever thought he was like his father, it killed him. His strong frame shuddered as he took deep, gasping breaths, "If I return to my own time, promise me you won't hate me." Severus was all he had left. 

"I could never hate you," Severus promised softly, pulling back to kiss the corner of his jaw. Harry leaned down to fully capture his lips before taking a slim, gloved hand in his own.

"You will," Harry whispered, too quietly for the younger Slytherin to hear as they walked to meet the others.  
x.X.x.X. 

A room full of anxious seventh years sat in silence as McGonagall called them into her office one by one to grade their projects. Eventually, all but Harry, Severus and the marauders had been scored and dismissed.

"Grey," the stern woman called, a grinning Gryffindor girl slipping from her office. The look on McGonagall's face when he revealed his multiple forms was priceless. He retained his human form and sat before her in silence, a smirk flitting across his face. He'd rendered the eloquent woman speechless. "O," She managed to breathe, "You've revived an O." 

The Marauders emerged looking sick. McGonagall eyed Harry strangely as she call Severus to be scored. Pettigrew met his eyes, face twisted up in disgust, before collapsing in his seat. Remus merely looked confused, his eyes filling with sadness as he finally realized what was so off about his scent. Black stood glaring beside a crestfallen Potter.

"How?" Potter whispered shakily, "-How are you?" 

"Time travel," Harry answered simply, keeping a careful eye on Black.

"He's lying, James," Black snapped, malice overtaking his voice, "He's still a slimy snake." Remus flinched, it was like a switch had gone off. His mind was screaming 'Pack', 'Pup', 'Alpha'. Harry met confused amber eyes with a sigh, he was too bloody tired for this. 

To his surprise it was Potter, not Remus who came to his defense, "Stuff it Sirius," Potter growled.  
"-he's a snake!" Sirius groused, pleading with his best friend. No one noticed McGonagall's office door slid open. 

"He's my son!" Potter roared.

"Son?" the deadly quiet whisper lingered in the sudden silence of the classroom. 

"Sev-" Harry answered tentatively, but the other Slytherin's face was already overtaken by fury. His heart sunk as Severus stalked forward, disregarding his words. He hadn't intended for anyone to learn his parentage, least of all Severus, perhaps that had been a mistake.

"Potter," Severus hissed with venom, "Potter's responsible for your upbringing?" Magic danced between pale, potion stained fingers, wand long forgotten. Long, dark locks whipped in a non existent wind, electrified by magic not his own. "I'll bloody kill him," Severus snarled, lunging forward.

Harry stepped before the man that would become his father, trapping Severus against his chest. Magic rolled between them like an open circuit, setting inky locks on end. 

"Severus," Harry murmured softly, trying to quell the lithe Slytherin's volatile rage, "He won't get the chance to be my father. He's not the man who raised me; he's not to blame for my scars." 

Severus let out a shuddering breath, magic trembling against his skin. It slid from his hair like droplets of rain, reabsorbing into their core. Harry dropped his head onto Severus' shoulder as they both melted into the embrace. 

"I scored an 'O'," Severus whispered roughly, breaking the room's stunned silence. 

"Of course you did," Harry breathed with a shaky smile. 

"Harry," Kali hissed from her place coiled around his neck, a rapidly paling Nott stood in the doorway, a missive clutched in his hand.

"Grey," he acknowledged, voice wavering under the piercing emerald gaze.

"Not a word," Harry said evenly, shifting so he was between Severus and the others. His voice left no room for anything but obedience, "You will breathe not a word of this to anyone, understand?" 

"Yes, Si-Grey," he agreed with a sharp nod, "Slughorn sent me, he needs to speak with both of you." He held out the now crumpled missives, padding silently after his true Lord as they made their way to Slytherin. 

"Professor?" Harry called inquisitively into the empty classroom, charming in his conversation with the greying wizard who came out to meet them.

Nott watched in awe as Harry took on the third persona he'd seen in a matter of minutes, quickly flipping from tender to dangerous to innocent. Hadrian Grey was Slytherin in a way all his own. None of the powerful wizard's housemates, save perhaps Severus and the strange little first year, were sure how to perceive him. He had a knack for showing exactly and only what one needed to see in order to command their respect and loyalty. "Nott," Harry called, snapping him from his musings, "There's been a change of plans, Severus and I won't be staying over break. I want a list of everyone remaining in the castle before breakfast tomorrow." 

Harry breathed a sigh of relief as Nott's startled gaze skipped over Severus entirely, before he rushed down the hall. "Come on, Sev," Harry murmured, looping an arm around a nearly comatose Severus' waist. Dead weight sagged against him, onyx eyes blank and unseeing. Harry let out a huff, scooped the lanky, unresponsive form into his arms bridal style and tucked them into the nearest alcove. He made sure they were hidden from the prying eyes of portraits and roaming students before apparating them to their rooms. 

He lowered Severus to their bed and devout him of his school robes and tie. He pulled worn trainers from his feet; Severus blinked up at him, clumsy hands fumbling over the clasp of his trousers. Harry banished them with a wave of his hand, leaving the lithe Slytherin in only his pants. He tucked him beneath a soft, blue blanket, watching with a small frown as Severus turned away, tucking his knees up to his chest. Harry stripped himself down much the same, climbing into bed beside the trembling wizard. He propped himself against the mound of pillows that had accumulated on the bed they now shared, settling in for a restless night. 

Severus woke cold and alone; it took him longer than it should have to remember why. Mother was dead. Eileen Prince had always been frail and weak, allowing a muggle power over her. She'd scarcely managed to protect him from the volatile man she'd married, but she was his mother. Pain and anger in equal measure flared up, crushing his chest. 

Magic raged a war against his skin, slamming relentlessly against the barrier between his and Harry's magic. Koani hissed sleepily, moving to comfort him. He clutched the smooth coil of scales to his chest, choking back the sobs that threatened to bubble from his throat. An emptiness was left in place of the grief dripping down his cheeks. A hollow ache took root in his chest, numb pricking at the soles of his feet and the palms of his hands. 

Harry's breath was uneven and light beside him. There was no way he was asleep against the torrent of magic rattling his core, but he remained a silent presence at Severus' side. The grief-stricken wizard sucked in a ragged breath, resisting the urge to reach out to him. He rolled to the edge of the bed, burying his tearstained face in a pillow that smelt entirely too much of Harry. 

The next time Severus jolted away it was too early to be away and too late to fall back asleep. He rose wearily, expecting the flood of pain that had overtaken him last night, but he felt nothing. That was worse somehow. He packed methodically, tossing his meager possessions back into the shabby trunk. It had been his mother's and the stab of pain in his chest that had accompanied it's fastening was strangely welcome. He sunk to the floor, curling his lanky body around the trunk till Harry woke. 

"Morning," Harry murmured gruffly, stumbling blearily from the bed. He changed clumsily, stuffing his sleep clothes in his rucksack. "Lozzy?" Harry called sleepily. 

The elfling popped through the wards with what looked like muggle take away bags in her hands. "Lozzy bes bringing the food like Master Harry asked," the sweet little elf squeaked, "Lozzy is keeping bags warm until Master Harry is opening them." 

"Thank you, Lozzy," Harry said appreciatively, taking a swig of the only slightly cooler than scalding coffee. The elf blushed scarlet at the praise before popping back to the kitchens. "Here," Harry murmured, holding a bag out to Severus, "Didn't think you'd be up for the Great Hall. I've gotta go check on the others, make sure Nott has everything handled for the Hols. Meet me when you're ready, alright?" They still had about an hour before they were expected on the train. 

Severus nodded, staring blankly at the bag of food like he didn't know what to do with it. Koani hissed softly, butting Severus' frozen fingers until he scooped up the Basilisk. He shrunk the trunk with a wave of his hand, tucking it into the pocket of his cloak. Severus clutched the warm bag to his chest, sealing the wards on their room until they returned.

"Hello Sev'rus," a soft voice greeted, big sapphire orbs blinking up at him. Pandora stood in battle trousers and one of Xenophilius's jumpers, it fell nearly to her knees, cuffs past her fingertips. Her eyes went hazy for a moment as she met his weary onyx orbs. Instead of speaking she stepped forward and wound her arms around his far too skinny middle, crushing the food between them. She lay her head beside that of the shrunken basilisk. "Look after him, Koani," Pandora whispered softly, stroking the snake's plume as she stepped away. Together they walked to the common room, silence comfortable between them. 

Harry followed Severus to the platform, containing a flinch when he met watery moss green eyes in the sea of students waiting to board the train. Remus had caught his scent, reluctantly following Lily as she shoved through the sea of bodies; Pettigrew and Sirius stood next to a stack of garish red and gold luggage, outright refusing to look their way. Potter looked torn, eventually tailing after his fiance. 

"James has never been very good at keeping secrets from me," Lily Evans admitted ruefully as she came to stand before them. Potter, at least, had the decency to look sheepish, avoiding Harry's eyes. "I'm so proud of you," Lily said, stepping closer and tucked a wayward strand of hair behind Harry's ear. "Even if I have no right to be." 

"Evans- I, Its-" Harry sighed, "No one can know." 

"Of course not," Lily turned a fiery gaze to James. "Right, love?" He nodded, sheepishly rubbing the nape of his neck in a motion that was so Harry Lily wondered how she hadn't seen it before. She turned to Severus, remembering the last letter mum had sent her. The emptiness in his eyes wrenched her heart. "I'm so sorry, Severus," she said softly, knowing their friendship was far too broken for her to be of any comfort to the mourning wizard. 

"Thank you," Severus answered, voice sounding hollow to his own ears. The train let out a shrill cry, hurrying students on board. Harry followed Severus to his usual compartment in the last car, leaving the couple that would become his parents behind him. Severus didn't speak until a pair of snickering Hufflepuffs passed their door, headed to the back rail for a smoke. "My mum's dead," he said suddenly, sounding as if he'd only just realized. "She's the only one I was ever sure I loved and now she's just gone. And I don't know if I ever knew what love was." 

He let out a desperate, mirthless chuckle. "What are we?" He glanced up to meet Harry's eyes across the compartment, "What is this between us? Are we together? Do you expect me to say 'I love you'? I don't know what love is, Harry." The noise that bubbled from his lips was somewhere between a laugh and a sob. 

"Everyone I've ever loved has betrayed me," Harry answered evenly, "I don't want anything you're not ready to give, Severus. I'm not going to tell you that I'm in love with you; I haven't the faintest idea what that feels like. I'm not going to promise you forever, because I don't know how long I have in this time. In the time we're together, I'm yours as long as you'll have me, to whatever degree that entails. Alright?" 

Severus nodded, letting out a shuddering sigh. He brought his knees to his chin, clutching Koani to his chest, watery eyes firmly fixed on the window."Merlin, Severus come here," Harry whispered roughly, holding open his arms. He pulled the lithe wizard onto his lap, wrapping him in strong arms. Severus tucked his face in Harry's neck, trembling hands balled against a strong chest as he shook with the force of his grief.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last “Severus is sad about him mum” chapter. Didn't feel right not addressing it at all and then it decided to take up a good portion of the chapter. I'm sure they'll find something else to induce the angst. 
> 
> I fixed Pandora's age. It's not exactly specified, but she's a bit young to have Luna the year after Lily has Harry.
> 
> In response to some common questions/comments  
> 1) Yes, I know I messed with the headmaster /transfiguration position. Dumbledore was somewhere else and unable to take over for Dippet.  
> 2) It's not exactly a time turner, but Harry will figure that out, hopefully soon.

The funeral was a small affair, a handful of the congregation standing dry eyed around the pine box as it was fed to the earth. The low scratchy rattle of an old preacher was the only sound, Severus remaining stoic at Harry's side. Tobias Snape was drunk of his arse, stumbling over to them as the others drifted away.

“Sssevr’s,” the man slurred, reaching out to pull him into a sloppy hug. The Slytherin froze, ice flooding his veins as he was engulfed with the pungent odor of liquor and stale smoke. 

“Father,” Severus answered listlessly. Koani hissed, dangerous and low, uncoiling from his place beneath Severus’s robes. The drunk staggered back, tripping over the scraggly grass. “Leave us,” he ordered blankly, drawing strength from the stream of magic Harry poured into his core. 

“The muggle finally kill Mummy?” a wild voice taunted, cackle slipping from blood red lips as Bellatrix Black skipped from the woods. 

“Hush now, Bella,” A lighter, smoother voice admonished. Narcissa Black stepped out beside her, wrapping a restraining hand around her elbow and a silencing spell over her lips. “Sorry, Severus, Darling. Luc barely lets me out of the house as is, let alone near him.” She eyed Harry with interest, unperturbed by this powerful young man who had bested the Dark Lord. “Lord Grey,” She greeted politely, pale fingers still tucked in the crook of her sisters elbow. 

“Lady Black,” he responded, eyes still glued to Bellatrix. 

“I'm so sorry for your loss, love,” The blonde said lightly. From the depths of her robes she pulled a shrunken trunk. “I kept it away from them, just as you asked. Everything is as you left it.” She smiled fondly as Severus cast a quick set of detection spells before levitating it to him.

“Thank you, ‘Cissa,” he said, clutching it to his chest.

“Of course, darling,” she said, turning to address Harry, “I extend an invitation, Lord Grey, for boxing day tea at the manor.” The parchment was thick and creamy, coated in a few tracker spells that Harry plucked away like a loose hair before tucking into his cloak.

“We’ll be there,” Severus assured her before they parted ways. Severus and Harry found themselves wandering down a dreary London road. “Harry,” the younger wizard sighed tiredly, the circumstance weighing heavily on his stamina, “We’ve passed the inn.”

“We’re not staying at the inn,” Harry answered steadily, curling an arm around his waist. They stopped between two shabby lots. The emerald eyed wizard hissed in parseltongue, a slim victorian home springing up before them. 

The well manicured lawn and cozy interior were lost on Severus as he stumbled blindly through the halls. This was not how Harry had intended to bring his love home. The room they entered was dark and vast. Ebony woods and forest green fabrics. Ivory and brass accents kept it tasteful. Their, worn blue blanket from Hogwarts sat at the end of the bed, seemingly out of place against the rich duvet. Kali and Koani slithered away, reluctant to leave their wizards, but in need of a hunt.

Harry dropped his ever present rucksack on a wing back chair and eased out of his outer robes. His hands closed slowly around Severus’s, pale fingers still clutching the trunk. “Severus,” Harry called, low voice rattling the empty air. His ebony eyes were vacant and cool, gaze fixated on something passed. Harry had to pry frozen fingers away, leaving the trunk tucked beneath the bed. Severus stared at his empty hands as if he'd forgotten their purpose, hardly reacting as Harry stripped him to his pants. “Get some rest,” Harry said, in a whisper, mindful of the silence as he turned down the covers.

Pale fingers sought out their blanket, smelling of home and safe, and pulled it over himself half heartedly. As he had every night since his mother's death, he rolled onto his side, knees tucked under his chin. “Stay or go?” Harry asked, tentative fingers smoothing tangled tendrils of long dark hair. 

“Stay,” his voice came out in a thin croak, brittle around the edges. Harry eased in after him, settling the rest of the bedding over them. That night as they lay silent in the darkness Severus’s reached back, pale fingers interlacing with tan ones as they lead Harry to wrap around him.

He was haunted as he slept by the face of his father and the realization that he was starved for attention. Pathetic. A bloody leech. Waves of guilt crashed over him as Harry woke him from his night terrors with soft words and warm hands pressed over his shuddering heart. Strong, sure Harry who was held the loyalty of so many and inconceivable strength. He was so weak. His claim on this man so fucking selfish as he accepted near constant streams of his magic in order to remain standing. 

Gentle lips pressed to his temple left him aching with guilt. It swam in the self deprecating pain and guilt, filling the empty places. And thought he hated himself for accepting a tenderness he had done nothing to deserve, he rolled in his lover's arms and pressed their lips together. Against his will warmth chased away the pain, the stark shock of it anchoring him. 

“Fuck me, Harry,” he whispered steadily, afraid what would spill from his treacherous heart if he dared to say more. 

Harry eyed him with an unreadable expression before dipping his head to kiss at the expanse of skin along his collarbone. His hands remained in Severus’s, something he failed to notice until Harry was pulling them off to the side. He lowered himself between Severus’s legs, holding him to the bed with his weight. Holding him tightly as he took a dusky nipple between his teeth. Wet heat of his laving tongue eased possessive nips, leaving the rosebud beaded and burning. He moved onto the other, slowly taking it into his mouth even as Severus’s light pants gave was to wanton moans.

He squirmed under the carefulness of it all. Harry's member just as hard as his own, both straining against their confines. He gave a hurried roll of his hips gasping at the friction. Harry shook his head, inky tendrils caressing twin peaks of red. Harry moved to his knees, hovering just above Severus as his mouth mapped out the smattering of scar covering his pale skin. His cock ached, weeping as it was brushed by random rolls of Harry's hips. 

He moved slowly down Severus’s body, regretfully releasing their interlocked hands to plant one on Severus’s stomach, just above the live of his pants. An unspoken command as he sat back on his haunches. Be still. His pants were removed slowly, Severus groaning as the elastic was dragged down his sensitive shaft. Harry's we're magiced away with little thought as he lowered once more, hot breath ghosting over his cock.

"Suck,” he ordered, voice gravely and deep. Tan fingers pressed against thin lips, Harry's own mouth moving forward. Harry licked a strip along his pulsing member as Severus took the fingers into his mouth with a greedy whimper. Harry took the head of his cock into his own mouth, matching the depth and intensity Severus sucked on his fingers. Severus moaned Harry sucked him all the way to the root, hand still holding bucking hips to the mattress. The other found its way down Severus’s body, widening the spread of his legs.

He prepped his lover with slow, teasing strokes. Saliva coated fingers working their way into Severus’s tight pucker. Breathy moans let Harry know that he was close; he stroked his prostate once more before drawing out completely. Severus quivered with the loss of sensation, mewling as Harry lined up his cock. Harry braced his arms on either side of his body, trapping him in and kissing him languidly. 

Emerald eyes bore into Ebony as he pressed forward slowly, growling when Severus tried to fuck himself on his cock. Balls deep he held himself there, eyes centimeters apart. Slow he dropped till their foreheads touched, chests pressing together with each ragged breath. 

Move. Severus begged with his eyes and his desperate hands searching out where they were joined. Those hands were slowly eased away with deep, measured thrusts. Rushing off to work their own straining prick where it rested between them. He had already been close but Harry held him right on the edge. He lay panting and writhing in his hold, intense green eyes unblinking, watching him come undone. Strong, deep thrusts quickened to match their breath. Harry's warm, wide hand cradling the nape of his neck. Rough, sure lips claiming him as he came between their heaving chests. 

Harry didn't ask him to speak, though his hands trembled as he fussed over cleaning them off and back to sleep. The desperate way he trapped Severus against him in the early morning. Careful words he reserved for bed and their familiars. Severus could hear it in the tremor of his voice. The resolute care he weaved into his mannerisms. His refusal to overstep, to ask for something the grieving man could not give, the want coiled beneath his skin. The desire to help held back tenuously, urges to manipulate any sort of confession out of him stubbornly ignored. 

"We've got to catch the train day after tomorrow,” Harry reminded him on boxing day from his place at the stove. 

Christmas had been rather strange. Harry had, quite aloofly, presented him the deed to the victorian they'd been residing in with a quite, rueful, “You might need it. If I… disappear.” He smiled apologetically, “I warded it. No one but us should be able to get through.” 

“You bought me a bloody house for Christmas?” Severus asked, sure he was unable to deal with the emotional repercussions of the possibly insane time travelers actions. 

“It was more my present to myself, Severus,” Harry sighed, he'd been dreading this conversation. “I need to protect you.” Quieter. “Please, Sev, let me do this.”

Severus studied him carefully, “Alright, but only if you accept my gift without too much protest.” Harry nodded, quirking an amused smile. A small black box was placed on the table before him. 

Nestled in cream tissue paper was a pendant on a chain, a small silver ball and parchment thin golden wings. A snitch. “I charmed it,” Severus explained hurriedly, “To… disused bludgers.” 

“Your spell work is brilliant,” Harry murmured, studying the weave of the strands. “A bit illicit,” he added after a moment.

“That sport is barbaric,” Severus stated with a shudder.

Harry chuckled, “Help me with the clasp?” They had spent their days beneath blankets and in front of roaring fires. Mugs of hot coco became breakfast and lie ins become a comforting routine. They would have to return to Hogwarts all too soon. 

“The house?” Severus asked Harry from his place at the table. The wizard was currently buzzing around the kitchen in his pants and a worn maroon jumper with a large golden ‘H’ stitched in the front.

“Cares for itself when we're not around,” He explained absent-mindedly, attempting to pour pancake batter in the shape of animals.

“Harry?” Severus started when he was hit with a wave of nostalgia. Mum standing at the stove in her own Christmas jumper. A blight really, bought off the bargain rack, toxic greed and sickly red. He held perfectly still, waiting for the torrent of anguish to pool in his core. It never came. His mum was dead and he was perfectly fine. What was wrong with him?

“Hmm?” Harry asked, sneaking the spatula into the sink sheepishly. He licked off the batter again. Foodborne illnesses be damned, it was worth it. “Severus?” He whirled around when there was no response. Sighing at the picture that met his eyes. “Come here, then,” He murmured, crouching down to wrap his arms around the trembling wizard. 

“Don't,” Severus hissed, overturning the chair with a slam. He lept to his feet as if he'd been burned, slowly backing away. 

“Okay,” agreed quietly, trying to mask the hurt in his eyes. No overstepping. Right. Severus wasn't some fragile child. He wouldn't make him feel like on. He went back to his pancakes. They were bubbling. Flip. 

“I'm fine,” Severus whispered angry and harsh. How could he be fine? Mummy was dead, why did he feel fine? How.

“That's normal,” he hadn't realized he'd spoken out loud until Harry answered. “You're not always going to feel that loss. The sadness, the emptiness, the numbness. It probably won't go away, no ever. But it's not always going to be what you feel. When Siri-Whe someone clos- It's normal. There's nothing wrong with you.”

He brought two plates of fresh fruit and pancakes to the table. Severus joined him and together they dismembered little pancake rabbits and dogs and what Harry insisted were mice, but were actually just 3 overlapping circles.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the wait, my father passed away and nothing I write is coming out the way I want. This one's a bit jumpy, but it covers a lot of time. Lucius is in Azkaban, Draco is unmarked.
> 
> Next chapter is the last

He hadn't truly realized how long it had been until he tentatively placed his hand on the warm, round swell of her stomach and felt a tiny foot press into the palm of his hand. 

Severus emerged from the floo in one elegant sweep, Kali abandoning her place ‘round his neck to coil against Severus like an overeager puppy. “Hello, Lily,” he greeted, joining his lover on the couch. 

“Severus,” she smiled softly as Harry's other arm absentmindedly curled around his waist. “He's started kicking.” 

x.X.x.X  
His medi wizard uniform was half way over his head when his brain finally possessed the image that greeted him upon arriving home. Severus sat stoic in the single armchair placed before the fire. A dog eared book on time travel lay open in his lap, half a bottle of firewhiskey and a previously warded box containing the time turner on the table. 

“How long, Harry?” Severus asked, sounding tired, old and so very young all at once. He had never told Severus the actual date of his birth, only that it was late summer. 

“A few months,” Harry whispered shakily, his previous task of undressing forgotten, “end of July.” 

“Bloody hell, Harry,” Severus half growled, half slurred. “Give me the day at least.” He rose from the chair, the stagger in his step somehow adding to his predatory grace. “You owe me that much,” he hissed in a drunken whisper, their faces inches apart. “If you're to leave me for nearly two decades.” Severus swayed on his feet any Harry resisted the urge to reach up and steady him.

“The thirty first,” Harry admitted, although his lover would be too pissed to remember come morning. “The thirty first of July.” 

Severus snarled then, lunging forward to catch Harry's half closed mouth in a collision of lips and tongues and teeth. His hands found Harry's shoulders all on their own, using them to balance as he plundered the shorter Slytherin's mouth. 

Harry caught him around the waist, holding him steady as Severus fisted inky locks of hair, yanking their mouths together. He ignored the taste of salt on his tongue as Severus backed them towards the bed. Harry sat when his knees hit the mattress, arms sliding around his inebriated lover as Severus moved to straddle his lap. Angry, sloppy kisses nipped down the column of his neck.

Harry slid a hand up the curved line of his spine, tucking back a waterfall of dark hair. Severus jolted at the contact, Harry's fingers dancing across the back of his neck, his broad palm cradling his jaw. He dropped a kiss on Severus’ pale forehead and the other Slytherin broke. He deflated, collapsing against Harry's chest.

“I'm tired, Harry,” he whispered roughly, hot breath saturated with alcohol. The emerald eyed wizard gathered him in his arms, maneuvered them beneath the blankets and held him tightly through the night. 

An indignant little witch sat at the foot of their bed that morning, limbs crossed, brown furrowed. She nudged at Harry's foot with her own. “Get up then, Harry,” She looked truly angry for the third time the emerald eyed wizard could remember in all the years they'd known each other. Her gaze softened as it landed on Severus. 

“Sorry to wake you, love.” She held out a tray, laden with steaming breakfast food. A wordless apology for stealing away his lover. “There's much to be done if the wedding is to be held in time.” Pandora stood, not looking to see if Harry would follow her. 

“Wedding?” Harry murmured groggily. Severus choked on a fork full of eggs. “whos?”

“Mine of course,” she threw over her shoulder. “Xenophilius said yes just last night.” And exasperated sort of anger clouded her voice. “Harry, love, a bit more warning next time would be appreciated.” 

x.X.x.X  
“I will kill you, Lucius Malfoy,” She screamed, pained whimper slipping from her lips on the next breath, “You will not touch me,” she growled, porcelain skin flushed in anger. Raw magic nearly skinned Severus’ hand as he tucked sweaty locks of hair behind her ears. 

“You're doing so well, Narcissa,” Harry assured her, cursing her fragile fertility and already dangerous pregnancy. They'd had to do it the muggle way or risk losing her and the baby. “Just one more push,” Harry coaxed, face lighting up when the small babe slipped free. His face was already screwed up and wailing, tuffs of white blonde hair standing on end. “Would you like to hold him?” He asked, wiping the infant clean and swaddling him in pale green terrycloth.

x.X.x.X  
Her wedding robes were the colour of the night sky, iridescent threads clinging to her shoulders and chest and flairing at her hips. The sleeves were long and billowing, trimmed with ivory lace. The train was not overly long, yet swept the grass beneath her bare feet, toes painted the colour of the moon as she followed Severus up the aisle. She tucked her arm in Harry's comforted by his presence as he led her to Xenophilius.

He stood witness as the tiny witch, who'd stolen his heart, took the hands of a wizard he'd already met as a much older man. Glowing spirals of magic twined around their wrists and their hearts, silver bands of marriage left on their fingers as their vows danced in the sweet summer air. 

x.X.x.X  
The curtains were on fire again. Cerulean eyes were trained steadily on the cuppa tea in his hands. Harry chuckled fondly, hand flitting sideways to quench the flames.

“I hear you, little man,” Harry answered, scooping the babe from his bassinet. He tucked Draco into the crook of his elbow, rubbing the nipple of a warmed bottle on his cheek to let him root for it. “That’s it, sweetheart,” he murmured pacing in small, bouncing strides around the nursery.

Severus had taken Cissa out for a day of tea and shopping. The both of them had needed a day to themselves, Cissa away from the baby and Severus away from the desperate undertones that bled into the majority of their interactions. 

Draco let out an indignant gurgle at the now empty bottle. Harry hummed, lifting the babe onto his shoulders to wind. “Come on, little one,” he coaxed, stupid grin splitting his face at the tiny sounds he made. He ran careful fingers through the soft tufts of hair, memorizing every detail of his face. His godson. Merlin, he loved this child. “There we are,” Harry settled the babe back in his arms, eyes already fluttering shut as he nuzzled into Harry's chest. He had vowed to protect him; he only hoped time would allow it.

 

His head spun as his magic unpleasantly, sucked back into his core like a vacuum. It snapped like a rubber band, rush through him with enough force to knock him to the ground. The soft cream of his bedroom ceiling spun and yellowed with age. Cobwebs appeared and disappeared for split seconds, flurries of black robes and flickers of scales flew in and out of view. As fast as it had started it was over. Kali hissed unhappily from beneath his robes, settling with a light sigh when she was scooped up and wound around a small, blurry form. As things came into focus magic spilled from his every pore, leaving him deflated and aching on the floor. 

“Hello Harry,” she greeted him, grey eyes soft and distant. Her dainty hands clasped his to pull him from the ground with a surprising strength. She threaded her arm through his elbow. “We're going to be late,” She reminded him gently. Luna.

He turned and pulled her into his arms, “of course.” He buried his nose in her hair, holding back tears. She had known. She had always known. “Where to, little moon?”

Narcissa masked her surprise well enough, the sharp pop of apparition as one of her oldest friends materialized in the center of her dining room table. Ignoring her shell shocked son and his own lover, he stalked towards the fuming Dark Lord. 

“Riddle,” Harry growled, the force of his anger knocking his chair back a few feet. He lept from the table, landing poised on his toes, inches from a nose less face. “I thought I made it abundantly clear that you Wound. Not. Touch. Them.” His fingernails had sharpened to claws, back hunched and bones trembling, he was half a second away from shifting to his wolf form so he could rip the wizard limb from limb with his own teeth. 

Voldemort laughed, brittle and unworried, “And you're hear to kill me, I suppose?” 

Harry's face twisted into a feral grin, “not me.” He dropped to the floor, dark mirth dancing in his eyes as a bolt of electric green light flew over his head. Severus stood at the foot of the table, flat palm extended, face blank and controlled. 

“Avada Kedavra,” his soft whisper settled over them like a poisonous mist. From the place where his dark mark once lay sprang a basilisk that nearly filled the room. For the first time in nearly two decades, the spell that Harry lay released Koani and left his skin unmarked. Panicked, what was left of the inner circle tried to apparate away, but were caught in wards. They would find themselves in the depths of the Malfoy dungeons with snapped wands where no one would bother with them for quite some time.

It was Luna who reached out first, from where she sat on the edge of the large table, humming softly and swinging her feet. Her hand closed around Severus’ frozen fingers, bringing him to her with a small tug. Looking years older and so very much like her mother, for a moment it nearly did him in, she pressed a kiss to his lined brow and ran a hand over Koani’s plume. “Thank you.” 

She danced from the table, over the shattered remains of the Death Eaters’ feast and over to the youngest Slytherin. He stood plastered against the door, one hand twisted behind his back, trying to unravel the spell. Eyes wide and darting between his mother and the dead body of his father's Lord, his wand was nearly forgotten in his other hand. 

“Draco,” she called. And like he would from then on, his eyes sought her out. His lips still half parted in disbelief when she threaded her fingers through his hair and placed the lightest of kisses on the corner of his lips. She traced a single finger down his jaw while the other arm encircled him, reaching past him to unlock the door. “You'll always be free to go,” she promised, eyes muted and distant. “But if you'd rather, I'd like you to stay.” 

Harry tore his eyes from his god children at a tentative touch on his shoulder. He rose from the crouch he had instinctively fallen into. His magic fluttered as he reached out to chase the potion stained hand that had slowly retreated from his form. Severus twined their fingers together, watching as the raw magic danced across their skin. Eventually, Severus brought his free hand up to rest against Harry's cheek, thumb brushing light circles across his cheek. Harry let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding, letting his head fall forward to press their foreheads together. 

He was home.


End file.
